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After a truck accident, you want to specifically look for a lawyer with experience helping truck accident victims.
Many personal injury law firms claim they can handle truck accident claims, even if they have little experience doing so. There is usually a lot of money at stake in truck accident cases, since these crashes can cause serious and even catastrophic injuries. Because there is so much on the line, you need to find the best possible truck accident lawyer for your case. But where do you start?
A Google search for “truck accident lawyer” will return hundreds of thousands of results. Your family and friends may try to refer a lawyer they know personally.
How do you sort through all of your options and choose the truck accident attorney who will do the best job for you? Protect your rights by taking the following steps after a truck crash.
Step 1 – Do Your Research
To identify the right truck accident attorney, try to answer the following three questions.
Question 1 – What does a truck accident case entail?
Research why you need a truck accident lawyer to start with. If you have asthma, you wouldn’t call a podiatrist, and if you have a leaky sink, you wouldn’t call an electrician. If you have a question about divorce, you wouldn’t call a criminal defense or personal injury attorney.
So, after a truck accident, why would you look to anyone except a skilled truck accident attorney?
First, a truck accident case involves identifying the cause of the crash and the parties responsible for it. Because commercial trucks are highly complex machines and the trucking industry must comply with complicated regulations and requirements, your case will require unique knowledge of the commercial trucking industry. In addition, if you suffered a disabling injury, your case will involve more complex legal issues than if you suffered a relatively minor injury. You need a lawyer with experience handling catastrophic injury cases.
Question 2 – What qualities should you look for in a lawyer?
Even among skilled truck accident attorneys, you want to choose the one who will work best with your needs and personality. Some factors may set certain lawyers apart:
- Experience – After years of experience, a lawyer will have more inside knowledge about insurance companies, trucking companies, courts, and more.
- Availability – Having someone available to answer your call 24 hours a day, seven days a week can indicate a law firm’s dedication to its clients. Also, if you are in the hospital, is an attorney willing to visit you there since you can’t come into the office?
- Disciplinary record – Lawyers with ethics complaints against them may miss deadlines, refuse to keep you informed, or engage in unethical behavior that could hurt your claim.
Question 3 – What is the law firm’s reputation?
Reading reviews, testimonials, and case results can give you a good idea of a firm’s reputation. The respect of peers and a winning track record for former clients can indicate a firm that will also do a good job for you. You can find all of this information online, so there is no excuse not to research a law firm’s reputation before hiring it!
Step 2 – Screen the Lawyers on Your Short List
After performing the above research, develop a short list of top candidates. However, you still have some work to do, as you should contact each law firm and discuss your specific situation with a member of their teams. Prepare a list of questions, which may include:
- How many truck accident cases have you handled? What were the results?
- Have you handled a claim with my type of injury before?
- Do you think I have a valid truck accident claim?
- Will you assign my case to one attorney?
- Does your office return emails or phone calls in a quick manner?
- What are the deadlines for me to take legal action?
- How long does a truck accident case like mine take to finish?
- How much will I have to pay and when?
After you provide detailed information about your truck accident, the law firm’s team should thoroughly answer your questions. In addition, use this opportunity to get a feel for the law firms and which ones match what you’re looking for. Different people will match well with different law firms—and remember that this is a personal choice. Was the team member too fast-paced for you? Did the team take the time to answer every question in a way you understood?
Also, truck accident lawyers should handle cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you should pay absolutely nothing unless your lawyer obtains a settlement or award for you. This fee arrangement helps everyone involved get the best possible results in your truck accident claim.
Step 3 – Choose the Best Truck Accident Lawyer for You and Move Forward
Once you think you have found a good fit based on your initial consultation and the truck accident lawyer’s experience, reputation, and credentials, don’t hesitate to move forward and hire that attorney. Sometimes, you may feel mostly good about a firm but may have lingering questions or concerns. Never hesitate to follow up and ask to speak to the attorney, or a supervisor, if possible. If you feel strongly about a firm, call again for free to see if you can get satisfying answers to all or your questions.
Once you decide on the best truck accident lawyer for you, review the contract the attorney provides. Ask any questions you need to since you should never sign an agreement that you don’t completely understand. Once everything makes sense and reflects your conversations, go ahead and sign the contract. Then, let the truck accident lawyer take it from there, so you don’t have to stress about your legal case and can focus on your injuries and healing.
Consult an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney as Soon as Possible
After a frightening truck accident, you may not know your rights, or how much your injuries will cost you. Don’t wait to seek out the best truck accident lawyer and learn about your legal options.
Never delay in seeking help, but don’t feel rushed—make a decision based on your research, your conversations with a law firm, and how you feel about the connection. You should feel confident in your choice of a truck accident lawyer and believe that attorney will stand up for you during the entire legal process.
Don’t Take Chances – Let Us Help You!
See what past clients have to say:
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“As a relatively new resident of Houston, I did not know of an attorney to contact for a personal injury suit. I randomly went through the yellow pages contacting two attorneys that had rejected my case prior to me contacting Stewart Guss. Stewart took my case on and settled for far more than I had anticipated. The silver lining of this is that I will now have enough money to go back to school for retraining, so I will be able to reenter the workforce in a new capacity. The paralegal, Angela, was kind and supportive throughout the process. If I did not understand the legal jargon, I did not hesitate to ask, and was never once made to feel that I was incompetent. Thank you Stewart and Angela for giving me a new lease on live.” – Sally T.
