No one wants to suffer injuries as the result of an accident but if you should find yourself in this unfortunate position then claiming compensation will probably be your next step. Accidents can happen at anytime and in any circumstance, but if the injuries you suffer are no fault of your own then you may wish to file a personal injury claim and claim back monies from medical bills, lost wages and any other costs arising from the accident.
Although you may feel you could handle a claim for accident compensation yourself these cases are rarely as straightforward as you first think which is why the best advice is to hire an experienced accident lawyer to fight your claim for you. Dealing with insurance companies can be difficult at the best of times, so imagine what it could be like when you are trying to recover from your injuries.
By hiring a lawyer you not only have someone who is experienced in dealing with insurance companies and defense lawyers, but also someone who will advise you on the level of compensation you are entitled to and who will always handle your claim with your best interests at heart. All you need to do is find the best lawyer for you.
You may think it will be a simple task to find an experienced accident lawyer within your local area who can take on your claim for you, after all TV and magazines are full of ads for personal injury specialists ready to fight your corner for you. But not all accident and personal injury lawyers are the same and finding the right one for your particular case relies on you doing your homework first.
The first thing to consider is whether or not a lawyer has experience of handling personal injury cases and in particular cases similar to yours. Some lawyers will only take on specific types of case such as medical malpractice, work place accidents or slip and fall injuries. Therefore you need to ensure any lawyer you consider hiring has the necessary knowledge and experience to successfully handle your claim.
Your next consideration will be whether or not a particular accident lawyer has experience of court trials. Although many accident claims are settled out of court some do go to trial and should this be the case for you, you will want a lawyer who has trial experience and previous success with large jury verdicts.
Then there is the cost of hiring a lawyer. Most will work on a contingency fee basis which means you only pay them a percentage of your compensation should you win your case. Typically these fees range from 15% to 40% but you should find out before you hire them.
There are several ways to find an experienced accident lawyer. One of the best is to ask around your friends and family for recommendations. Personal recommendations usually come with assurances about the service you can expect to receive and should certainly give you confidence that a particular lawyer is worth approaching.
You can of course choose to contact many of the personal injury firms advertised in the press and on TV. A good tip here would be to research them online first, and in particular look for recommendations from previous clients as well as disgruntled clients who would not recommend a particular legal firm. Online legal directories provide good resources for finding a DC accident lawyer and often carry more detailed information such as lawyer biographies, past client testimonies and contact information.
Once you have found two or more accident lawyers, contact them to arrange an initial consultation, which is usually free. This will give you an opportunity to find out more about them, what their experience is and what their fees are. Your final step then is to decide which lawyer is the right one for you. Do not delay in hiring an accident lawyer to represent you as claims are time limited and you need to ensure your claim is made within the permitted time frame.
