Whether you’ve been in a minor fender bender or sustained severe injuries, if someone else is at fault for the accident, you should be compensated for your losses. According to the Insurance Research Council, accident victims who hire an attorney receive settlements that are an average of 3.5 times higher than victims who decided against legal representation.
Why Finding the Right Car Accident Lawyer is Important to Your Claim
Finding the right accident lawyer is an essential part to secure fair compensation for an accident. The question is, how do you find the right one? This article provides helpful guidelines.
Do I Need a Car Accident Lawyer?
Many Philadelphia drivers assume that the insurance companies will write a generous settlement check to compensate them for the actions of negligent drivers. This is seldom the case, and an infinite number of factors are working against you.
Personal injury lawyers with experience in car accident cases know the insurance companies’ tactics and other strategies that can make or break your case. Car accident lawyers move your case forward and pull out all the ethical stops to ensure you get paid, including:
- Accurately assessing how much your case is worth instead of relying on a lowball insurance number
- Investigating the crash to assess fault
- Gathering evidence to support your case, including witness statements and expert testimony
- Identifying appropriate third parties who may also be liable for your injuries
- Coordinating with doctors to set up payment plans that are due after you settle
- Ensuring you get the right level of care that is documented to preserve your case
- Filing paperwork and submitting forms to the proper parties
- Negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf
- Advising you on appropriate behaviors and statements to avoid jeopardizing your claim
- Suing the other party in court if settlement talks fail
In short, it’s a good idea to call a car accident attorney in Philadelphia after an accident. The Law Offices of Eric A. Shore provide a free consultation.
What to Look for in a Car Accident Lawyer
As you begin researching car accident lawyers in Philadelphia, you might be overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices. Not every attorney will be an ideal fit for your case, and we recommend evaluating the following:
- Experience: The law is complicated, and an experienced firm may be better equipped to handle your case, especially if there are multiple parties or catastrophic injuries. How long a law firm has been in business and the years of experience its attorneys have is highly relevant.
We also recommend hiring an attorney that concentrates on a particular area of law instead of a generalist firm. A firm that handles criminal cases, family law, and patents is likely to have less experience than a firm that primarily works on personal injury claims
- Track record: Don’t be afraid to ask about past results. Find out how many cases like yours the firm has handled and the range of results. Every case is different, but this information can put things into perspective
- Reputation: People talk, so read online reviews about a firm before proceeding. You can check Google, Yelp, social media, and legal directories.
- Support staff: You might be working with other people at the firm besides the attorney. Make sure there is a fully-equipped team available to support your case.
- Negotiation style: Depending on your preferences, you might want an attorney with a propensity to settle versus going to court, or vice versa. If this is important to you, be sure to ask!
- Communication: Lawyers are ethically obligated to keep their clients in the loop, but communication styles can vary greatly. Ask about what you can expect in terms of frequency and methods of contact.
How to Find an Accident Attorney
If you’re reading this, then you’ve already figured out that going online is an effective way to find an attorney. You can also ask friends and family for referrals if you know someone who has recently settled a car accident case.
While there are various online resources and directories, our recommendation is to call attorneys and ask them about your case. You’ll learn a lot about how a law office operates and whether the firm is a good fit based on an initial consultation.
Contact an Experienced Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyer
The personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore have a combined 100 years of legal experience and reputation of achieving maximum compensation for our clients. To find out how much your case could be worth, contact us at 1-800-CANT-WORK.
