There were over 36,000 traffic fatalities in 2019. While this number has decreased from previous years, there seems to be a general trend upward. The good news is that the vast majority of car accidents are not fatal. They are, however, troublesome in a different way. Getting into a car accident may mean a visit to an auto accident lawyer.
Whether you’re trying to get the money you’re owed or to protect yourself from an exorbitant payout, having a good lawyer is important.
However, finding the right lawyer can be a bit difficult, because you have to know what to look for. We’ll offer some advice on the best questions to ask in this article.
1. Have You Taken on Similar Cases?
Perhaps the most important question to ask an auto accident lawyer is whether they have experience with cases like yours. Choosing a lawyer who has no experience in this kind of case is a recipe for disaster.
On the other hand, a lawyer with a lot of experience might be the difference between a win and a loss. In that same vein is the question of how those cases ended. It’s better to go with a lawyer who’s taken 50 cases and won 30 of them than someone who has taken 100 cases and won 3.
A lawyer can’t do everything for you, though. Your case has no chance if all you have is hearsay. That’s why people are encouraged to gather evidence after an accident.
2. How Often Do You Go to Court?
Despite what we see in most courtroom dramas, trials are a somewhat rare occurrence in the U.S. legal system. In criminal cases, 2% of cases go to trial. Most other types of cases are very similar.
While high-profile cases make for a decent public spectacle, they’re difficult for all parties involved. They give lawyers more work and clients more stress, not to mention a far longer process.
It also costs more out-of-pocket to go to trial than it does to compromise. This is because of all the extra paperwork and official procedures that have to be done before a trial occurs.
3. What Fees Do You Charge?
After establishing how likely you are to go to court, and what your odds of winning are if you do, you’ll need to figure out how to pay for it. It’s possible that your lawyer fees will be covered by the other party if you win, but you shouldn’t bet on this.
Don’t hire a lawyer you can’t afford, either. Losing the case can mean that you don’t have to pay the lawyer, but the odds of that are low. Chances are that you won’t go to trial, so you’ll need to make arrangements to pay your legal fees regardless of what happens.
Things to Ask an Auto Accident Lawyer
Choosing an auto accident lawyer can seem like a difficult process, but you can make it a lot easier by asking the right questions. We’ve talked about a few of those questions in this article, but it might help to come up with a few of your own as well.
If you want to know more about the legal process or are in need of a lawyer, please visit our site. Contact us and tell us a few details about your case, and we’ll be in touch shortly.