How to Find the Best Car Accident Lawyer Near Me

If you have been injured in a car crash, you’re probably looking for the “best car accident lawyer near me.” Without an experienced car wreck lawyer, you could be left out to dry by insurance companies scrutinizing your case and denying you the coverage you deserve.

You may think that any personal injury attorney will do, but experience in the specifics of car accident law will be an important asset in your fight to receive compensation for your injuries. In this guide, we go over how to find a good car accident lawyer, what you’ll need to tell them, what a car wreck lawyer will cost, and more.

How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help?

While self-representation is always an option, a car accident lawyer can help with insurance claims in many ways. Firstly, you must remember that insurance companies are not your friends. Their adjusters will try to compensate you as little as possible, even trying to settle the case with written or spoken agreements before you have a chance to find a car crash lawyer.

This is why it’s important to refrain from making any verbal statements at the scene of the crash and to reject any initial offers made before negotiations have taken place. A car crash lawyer has the expertise and authority to argue your case with the right evidence. They can sue for additional compensation not even covered by insurance because they know the system.

If you decide not to search for a “car accident lawyer near me” and represent yourself instead, just know that without an experienced attorney in your corner, you’ll be up against the wall with the insurance adjusters and their strategies.

Types of Cases Handled by Car Accident Lawyers?

A car accident lawyer could be experienced in many types of cases, including those involving drunk drivers, trucking accidents, texting and driving, and accidents involving pedestrians. The differences between these cases can be difficult to navigate on your own, which is why many turn to finding a “car accident lawyer near me” as soon as possible after the crash occurs.

For example, in cases involving a trucker, the trucking company may be liable for damages not explicitly covered in your insurance policy. Accidents involving a pedestrian can be complicated without representation. If the other driver was drunk at the time of the accident, your settlement may depend on assembling the correct evidence to prove their status.

No matter the circumstance, the right car accident claim lawyer can navigate the case and help you receive compensation that may not be covered by your policy.

Where to Start When You’re Looking for the Best Car Accident Lawyer?

You may feel lost when you start out searching on the internet for a “good car accident lawyer near me,” so here are the main attributes that you should look for in a car accident attorney.

Experience: This is key when identifying the car crash lawyer that can help you form a winning case. Some injury lawyers handle class action cases, manufacturing cases, or compensation cases. Look for a lawyer with specific experience in car accident cases. Their specialization will aid you in maximizing your compensation.

Reputation: Reputation can be as significant as experience when looking for a good car accident lawyer. Online research can reveal a lot about a lawyer’s success rate as well as their treatment of clients. A great question to ask is to inquire how much of the firm’s business comes from attorney referrals. A high number likely indicates a trusted firm. Additionally, you can look at the firm’s office situation to find the most professional business to represent you.

Cost: Of course, you’ll be wondering what your car accident claim lawyer will charge. Make sure to look for an attorney that takes cases on contingency, meaning you won’t have to pay them if you lose. Find a firm that balances the experience and reputation you’re looking for with the fee percentage. Always pay attention to the specifics of the contracts of the lawyer’s fees while keeping in mind that better firms that win better settlements often cost more.

Where to Find the Best Car Accident Lawyer Near Me?

In any given area, many car accident lawyers are competing for your attention with commercials, on billboards, and at every bus stop. While these ads can help you find the firms that have the most to spend on advertisements, they may not give you the best car accident claim lawyer in your area.

The better avenues to find a car wreck lawyer include local bar associations, insurance company records, recommendations from doctors, and those that have delivered a good experience to families or friends that you trust.

Online directories also provide a valuable resource to find a car accident claim lawyer in your area based on their specialization.

What Question to Ask When Contacting a Car Accident Lawyer?

You will likely contact multiple car accident attorneys before choosing one. It’s important to know what to ask them so you can finalize your decision. Asking them about their specialization is the best way to start since a firm inexperienced in handling car accident claims like yours can be discounted right away. You can ask them for a concrete percentage of cases that they’ve handled involving such accidents.

Next, you should ask about their fee structure to identify the firms priced out of your range. Make sure they work on contingency so you don’t owe them a huge bill if they lose your case.

Feel free to discuss any questions you may have with them, including the timeline for your case, your next steps, and their predicted outcome. The way they respond to your questions could tell you a lot about their professionalism, reputation, and experience.

What Information to Provide Your Car Accident Lawyer?

Once you have chosen a firm, your car accident lawyer will need information from you to get started. These records are important since they will be used as evidence to justify the amount of compensation they believe you can win.

You will need to provide them with your medical records, including treatments, medication receipts, therapy results, doctor’s notes, and any other bills you may have. If your injuries caused you to lose work, you will need to provide them with information about lost wages such as work slips so they can verify how much money you have lost from being out of work.

Finally, your car accident claim lawyer may ask you to provide evidence for your pain and suffering. Mental anguish, depression, therapy, fragmented relationships, and more can be used as evidence to get more compensation. You may need to give your car wreck lawyer personal information about your family or even your personal diary to give them a view of your mental and physical condition after the crash.

What is the Statute of Limitations to Get a Car Accident Lawyer?

The statute of limitations is the time you have after the accident to file your compensation claim. This statute differs depending on the state in which the accident took place, so it’s important to know this limit for your area and speak with your car accident lawyer about the timeline for your case.

Most states have this statute listed as 2-4 years, with a few outliers. For instance, you have 6 years in New Jersey and North Dakota but only 1 year in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Louisiana.

Always remember that everything after your car accident will be on its own timer. Filing insurance forms, getting doctors’ appointments, answering the questions of the insurance company and lawyers, and paying for everything all take time. The statute of limitations in your state will not wait for you.

How Much Does a Car Accident Lawyer Cost?

The standard method of payment for car accident lawyers is a percentage of the payout. That percentage varies between firms but is around 33-40% on average. This means that their final fee depends on your compensation amount, which firms are motivated to make as high as possible.

The average payout in a car accident injury case is around $44,000, meaning lawyers are paid around $15,000 on average to win your case. Of course, this number could be far greater depending on the injuries you sustained and the case that your lawyer presents.

Note that the average compensation for clients that represent themselves is considerably lower at around $14,000. So while you would not have to pay lawyer fees, you would also walk away with much less on average.

Should You Get a Lawyer for a Car Accident?

Filing a claim for a car accident is a complicated process with many interconnecting timelines, all counting down beneath the statute of limitations of your state. In addition to making your case a winning one, a car accident attorney can wield their experience and reputation to win more compensation for you compared to what you would be able to win on your own.

Those who self-represent in car accident cases learn how difficult it is to assemble the right evidence by procuring medical reports, assembling records, and keeping everything on track. An experienced car accident claim lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve by leading you through each step of the process on time.

Summary

When looking for the best car accident lawyer near you, you’ll want to research their reputation, experience, fees, offices, and more. Judging their professionalism as a firm is more than a personal preference. Often, it can change the outcome of your case due to the firm’s reputation for thoroughness and its success with previous cases.

History shows that those who are represented in car accident cases are compensated more. This includes not only the compensation dictated by your accident insurance policy but also coverage for unlisted damages such as depression and lost wages. Since a car accident is a potentially life-changing event, you want a car accident claims lawyer that has the experience needed to assemble a successful case.

Knowing the statute of limitations in your state as well as the history of similar cases can help prepare you to win the compensation you deserve. Use this list as a guide for finding a car accident lawyer near you with the skills, experience, and reputation to win your case.