3 Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Car Accident Attorney
Posted on: 30 March 2017
Have you recently been in an automobile accident? Are you worried that the insurance company isn't going to properly compensate you for your losses? Unfortunately for you, it's often in an insurance company's best interests to drag the settlement process out for as long as possible. But when you've got bills to pay, you obviously want to have the insurance money as quickly as possible. In order to get a fast settlement offer, you may need to hire an attorney to help you with your case. Since there are many different attorneys out there, it's important that you ask the right questions to make sure that you've got the best possible lawyer for your situation. Some questions to ask before hiring any attorney include:
What type of cases do you specialize in? If you simply walk in the door at a law firm that specializes in accident and personal injury cases, they may send you in for a consultation with the first lawyer who has free time available right then. Although this can be convenient, this can also mean that you're consulting with an attorney who is less knowledgeable about the type of case in question. For example, if your accident involved a motorcycle in any way, whether it was you or the other driver on one, you may want to ensure that any lawyer you hire is familiar with motorcycle cases.
How long do cases like this typically take? Although each situation is unique, your car accident attorney should have an estimate as to how long your case might take. If you have a very strong case, he or she might estimate that you'll be getting a reasonable settlement offer in a matter of weeks. On the other hand, a case that actually has to go to court may take years to complete depending on how busy the court system in your area is.
Could you talk to the creditors that keep calling? When you have bill collectors calling you almost every day, it can be difficult to focus on your life and recovering from your accident. Fortunately, creditors may back off at least temporarily if they hear from your car accident attorney. Once he or she talks to them and explains that you have no money right now but that you should be able to pay them once your settlement arrives, they may stop calling you for a while. You'll obviously still have to pay these bills, but at least now you'll be able to focus on other things like getting better and trying to go back to work.
To learn more, contact a firm like Clearfield & Kofsky.
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