Top 9 Qualities to Look for When Hiring a Utah Car Accident Lawyer
More often than not, it’s difficult for car accident victims to receive the rightful compensation from the responsible party. Mounting medical bills, lost wages, and other costs can add to your frustration.
Fortunately, having an able car accident lawyer by your side can help. Ensuring strong legal representation is crucial to securing a better case outcome. However, you shouldn’t just hire the first lawyer you come across.
You should consult multiple lawyers and ask them questions about their experience, approach, fees, and so on. Their answers will help you gauge whether or not they are a good fit for you.
When making the final decision of choosing your Utah car accident attorney, you should also consider the following qualities and characteristics.
1. Experience as a Car Accident Personal Injury Attorney
You need an attorney that has prior experience in handling car accident cases. Only a well-practiced car accident lawyer will be able to help you get fair compensation from the responsible party and their insurance company.
Ask the attorneys about their experience and whether or not they have dealt with cases similar to yours in the past. For best results, choose a lawyer who has handled a wide variety of car accident injury cases.
2. Track Record
Hiring a car accident lawyer with a proven history of winning fair compensation for their clients will provide you with peace of mind. Make sure to ask prospective lawyers about their track record in this regard.
The most trustworthy law firms will mention this information and their success stories on their website. They will also publish cases and client testimonials for everyone to read and feel convinced about the law firm’s capabilities.
3. Availability of Necessary Resources
The last thing you want is to be stuck with a lawyer who is juggling too many cases without an able team backing them. Instead, you want an established attorney who will spend ample time and resources on your case and unique needs.
A lawyer from an established law firm is your best bet as they will have the resources and a skilled team to handle your case. With the help of their team, the car accident attorney will be able to pursue the maximum possible compensation that you may be entitled to.
4. Communication Skills
The legal arena can be extremely technical and complex, which is where your lawyer’s communication skills will come into the picture.
Your car accident attorney should be able to communicate effectively with you regarding the applicable Utah laws, legal processes, and the overall progress of your case.
They should be able to explain everything to you in simple and easy-to-understand language. Your attorney will keep you updated on the case proceedings, as well as answer any questions you may have at any point of time.
5. Storytelling Ability
If your case goes to court, your car accident lawyer’s storytelling abilities can come handy. This skill will enable them to build a compelling case and be highly persuasive in the courtroom.
Try to find a lawyer who will use the facts of your case to weave a narrative that establishes that you deserve to be compensated. During the initial consultation, see if your attorney can do this and ask about their courtroom experience. If they haven’t litigated a trial, they will probably lack this skill.
6. Professionalism
You should work with a lawyer who performs their duties with utmost professionalism. Establishing a strong working relationship with them is possible only if you feel certain that your case is being taken seriously, and isn’t being ignored or passed around from one attorney to another in the firm.
During your initial consultation, ask about who will actually be handling your case and request to speak to that lawyer. Determine if the concerned car accident personal injury attorney is empathetic, compassionate and attentive to what you say. You should feel convinced that your case is important to them, regardless of the extent of your injuries or damage to your car.
7. Ability to Provide Proper Guidance
Victims of car crashes tend to feel unsure about what they should do after being in an accident. A good car accident attorney can guide you properly by advising about the next steps.
They will tell you how to protect your interests, seek medical attention, and obtain documentation for your injuries and treatment. They will also help you deal with insurance companies and their tactics in an effort to get you the compensation you deserve.
A good car accident attorney will tell you not to give any statement to anyone as it will likely be used against you to avoid paying any money for your claim. They will tell you exactly how to respond to requests from insurance adjusters who try to get in touch with you.
Your attorney’s guidance should also include advice on taking pictures of your injuries and damage to your car, obtaining the police report, and keeping all paperwork safely.
8. Goal Oriented
A skilled car accident lawyer will study the circumstances surrounding your case and work out a strategy to help you achieve positive results. They should listen to your expectations from the case outcomes, while also being realistic about the possibilities.
In other words, your attorney needs to be able to strike a healthy balance between your goals and the reality of the situation to achieve the compensation you rightly deserve.
9. Transparency in Fees
Understandably, one of the most important factors to consider at the time of hiring a car accident attorney is their fee. That being said, it is recommended that you don’t base your decision on this factor alone.
It’s crucial to discuss the costs involved with prospective lawyers at the time of the initial consultation. This will give you a fair idea of where you stand in terms of affordability, and whether or not they can be flexible to accommodate your needs.
There are usually several fees and other legal costs are associated with pursuing a car accident case. The attorney you choose should be transparent about them and discuss the fee agreement with you in detail. They should also disclose exactly which services they will provide, how much each one will cost, and how you will have to make the payment. You can then make an informed decision.
Conclusion
If you or your loved one has been injured in a car accident due to another person’s negligence, you may be able to seek financial compensation.
In that case, the accident injury attorney you choose to work with could be one of the most important decisions of your life. A great deal of thought and consideration goes into this decision.
Before starting your search, you should know about the qualities and credentials your car accident lawyer should possess. These factors can make a huge difference to the outcome of your case.
Ultimately, you should hire a car accident attorney who is capable of investigating the case facts, collecting and preserving evidence, determining liability, assessing damages, negotiating with insurance companies, and representing you in court, if necessary. Engaging a lawyer with the above qualities and characteristics is the best route to take. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.