How to Choose a Car Accident Lawyer
Being involved in a car accident is a highly stressful situation. Not only are you suffering from injuries, but you have to deal with medical bills, lost wages, insurance claims, and sometimes personal injury lawsuits. Managing all of this on your own can be overwhelming. That’s why it’s essential to work with an experienced car accident lawyer serving Queens, New York.
However, many people don’t know how to choose a car accident attorney. They may pick the first one they see when searching online or the name they remember from advertisements. While these lawyers may be fine, they may not be the best choice for you and your case. Instead, there are several critical facts to consider while choosing a car accident lawyer, including their:
- Experience
- Track record
- Credentials
- Reviews and ratings
- Fee structure
- Communication style
Only after evaluating these factors can you determine if a car accident lawyer is right for you and your case.
Check Their Experience
One of the first steps in how to choose a lawyer for a car accident is to look at the lawyer’s experience. General legal experience is always a plus, but you want someone with extensive practice specifically in personal injury law and handling car accident cases.
Hiring an attorney with this level of experience is crucial because car accident claims often involve complex issues, including determining liability, negotiating with insurance companies, and evaluating medical evidence. An experienced attorney knows how to build a strong case, avoid common mistakes, and fight for the maximum compensation available. And the more similar their experience is to cases like yours, the better.
For example, depending on the circumstances of your case, you may want to find a lawyer who has handled collisions involving drunk drivers, hit-and-runs, or multiple vehicles. The more experience a lawyer has in handling cases like yours, the better equipped they’ll be to tackle the unique challenges your case presents.
Review Their Track Record
As vital as experience is, it doesn’t count for much if the lawyer doesn’t have the results to back it up. Before hiring a car accident attorney, take the time to review their case track record. Has the lawyer negotiated favorable settlements for past clients? Do they have a history of taking cases to trial if necessary? And have they secured high-stakes trial verdicts?
Some attorneys list case outcomes on their website, while others are happy to discuss previous cases with you if you ask. It’s essential to keep in mind that the amount of money recovered through past settlements and verdicts isn’t as important as how the lawyer achieved the results. Just because a lawyer secured a multi-million dollar settlement in the past doesn’t guarantee they’ll obtain a settlement that high in your case.
However, if the lawyer has a track record of consistently achieving favorable outcomes for clients, it’s a strong indication that they have the skill, knowledge, and work ethic to handle your case. By choosing a lawyer with a proven track record, you can have peace of mind that your case is in good hands.
Verify Their Credentials
Remember to make sure any lawyer you’re considering hiring is fully licensed to practice law in New York and that their attorney registration is up to date. You can search the New York attorney database online to confirm their license status and check for any disciplinary actions taken against them. The database can also help you confirm how long the attorney has been practicing law in the state.
In addition to checking their legal license, you may want to consider whether the lawyer is a member of any professional organizations and whether they’ve received awards recognizing their work for clients. For example, their website may list that their firm is accredited by the Better Business Bureau, they’ve received recognition from Super Lawyers, or the lawyers are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
To earn these awards, lawyers typically must be recommended by their peers. Memberships and recognition often reflect a lawyer’s commitment to staying current on best practices in their field and providing comprehensive legal support to their clients.
Take a Look at Their Reviews and Ratings
Online reviews and client testimonials can provide valuable insight into what it’s like to work with the lawyers in question. It’s crucial to look at what past clients say in individual reviews and pay attention to the broader pattern. If a lawyer consistently receives positive reviews mentioning how they’re quick to respond to questions and make it easy for clients to follow along with their case’s progress, it may indicate the lawyer is responsive and a good communicator.
Factors to look for in client reviews and testimonials include:
- Responsiveness and communication
- Degree of personal attention
- Professionalism and courtesy
- Results achieved
- Overall client satisfaction
General review sites like Google and Yelp are a good place to start when looking for client reviews. You can also check more lawyer-specific sites, such as Avvo and Martindale-Hubbell, which may include endorsements from other attorneys and ratings based on legal experience and ethics.
Many law firms include reviews and longer-form testimonials on their websites. And if you ask, they may have past clients willing to speak with you about their experience with the firm.
Ask About Their Fees
Another essential factor to consider when choosing a New York car accident lawyer is their fee structure. Understanding how you’ll pay for the attorney’s legal services is crucial. Most personal injury lawyers, including those who handle car accident cases, work on a contingency fee basis. This means you don’t pay any upfront fees and only pay if and when the lawyer secures compensation for you through a settlement or verdict.
Contingency fees are a percentage of the compensation you receive, typically between 30 and 40 percent. If the lawyer doesn’t work on a contingency fee basis, they likely charge by the hour, which can add up, particularly if your case is complex.
Questions to ask the lawyer before you choose to go with them include:
- Does the lawyer work on a contingency fee basis, or do they charge an hourly rate?
- What percentage of your settlement or verdict will the attorney take as a fee?
- Does the fee differ if your case settles vs. goes to trial?
- Are there additional costs you may be responsible for, such as filing fees or hiring expert witnesses?
- Will you owe anything if the attorneys don’t win your case?
Any reputable lawyer will explain their fee structure clearly and answer your questions upfront. If an attorney is vague or reluctant to answer your questions about payment, it may be beneficial to choose someone else so you aren’t hit with surprise fees after the fact.
Request Clear and Open Communication
Finally, it’s vital that you work with a lawyer who clearly and openly communicates with you about your personal injury case. If you have questions, you should be able to trust that they will answer them to the best of their ability. And if you want an update on your case’s status, they should be able to provide one for you.
From your first consultation with an attorney, pay attention to how they communicate. Do they listen to what you have to say, or are they dismissive of your concerns? Do they take the time to understand the intricacies of your case and how your injuries affect you personally, or do you feel like you’re just another case number to them? Are they able to explain the legal concepts related to your case in a way you can understand?
You should also ask the attorney how you’ll receive updates on your case and whether you’ll be in contact with the lawyer handling your case or paralegals and assistants. In some larger firms, the main attorneys may be too busy handling cases to speak directly with their clients. Those firms may also pass your case off to junior associates, leaving you feeling like your case doesn’t matter to them.
Good communication isn’t only about how quickly an attorney responds to you. It’s also about how they respond and how their treatment of you makes you feel.
Call Our Experienced Car Accident Lawyers for Help with Your Case
If you were injured in a motor vehicle accident in Queens, NY, contact The Tadchiev Law Firm, P.C. for a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer. We’re a dedicated personal injury firm located in Floral Park, serving Queens and the surrounding area.
Our Queens personal injury lawyers have earned a reputation as aggressive advocates for car accident victims, with a proven track record of securing meaningful results. You can hear about those results and the service we provide straight from our clients by reading our Google reviews, where we have a 5.0-star average.
When you hire our firm to handle your case, we’ll take care of everything so you can focus on your recovery without the stress of dealing with insurance companies and the legal system. Our team intentionally keeps our caseloads smaller so we can focus on you and the care you deserve, putting the emphasis on quality over quantity. We also provide personalized attention to every case and aggressively pursue the compensation you need, whether through settlement negotiations or trial litigation. And because we work on a contingency basis, you’ll never have to pay a fee unless we win. Reach out today to learn more.
About the Author
Boris Tadchiev
Boris Tadchiev es socio fundador de The Tadchiev Law Firm, P.C. Su práctica se centra en la defensa de los derechos de personas y familias en casos de lesiones personales relacionados con accidentes automovilísticos, responsabilidad civil por daños a propiedades y homicidio culposo. También representa a profesionales de la salud en complejas demandas de arbitraje sin culpa.