When you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident, choosing the right Edmonton car accident lawyer is crucial to getting the settlement and resolution you need to move forward. This can be stressful and present many challenges you have not experienced before. What factors should you consider when choosing an Edmonton car accident lawyer for your case?
How do you know you’ve made the right choice? Hammer Injury Law is an Edmonton car accident lawyer with experience dealing with the issues you will face on your road to recovery. In this post we’ll help explain some things to consider as you choose the right car accident lawyer to help you with your file.
Why You Need A Car Accident Lawyer
The first step in choosing the right Edmonton car accident lawyer is understanding that you do in fact, need a car accident lawyer. Starting out in the process many people want to handle their claim themselves or don’t understand the nuances and complexities of a car accident claim. That’s common; most people haven’t been in this situation before. However, it is key to understand that for most motor vehicle collisions where one driver is injured through no fault of their own, a car accident lawyer is worth having and can help you immensely.
Car accident claims are complex. This area of law has many procedural steps, relevant precedents, and elements that a car accident lawyer is skilled in understanding and navigating. A car accident lawyer can ensure your rights are protected and you can the settlement you deserve.
Liability in car accident claims can be difficult to determine. The insurance companies will want to minimize the settlement they pay. They will explore factors in the accident that could impact liability and your settlement. A skilled car accident lawyer understands assessing liability and how to establish who is liable for the accident. It is a skill that car accident lawyers possess from years of experience and representing clients in cases similar to yours.
Determining the value of your claim is a critical reason for hiring a car accident lawyer. An experienced car accident lawyer understands the elements of an accident that will cause it to be more valuable than you might expect. Specifically, the long-term impacts of the accident, how it affects your ability to work, or if you’ll need ongoing treatment. Additionally, they have a network of experts and accident reconstruction engineers to establish who is at fault and the overall value of your claim. This is an area that you cannot underestimate. To protect your rights and your family, hiring a car accident lawyer will put you in the best position to get the settlement you deserve.
Understanding the Fees of your Car Accident Lawyer
Accessing quality legal representation is something that many believe is unavailable to them due to the cost. When you are going about determining which Edmonton car accident lawyer you choose, understanding their fees and overall cost is an important step. You should be aware that most personal injury lawyers operate on a contingency basis. This means they take a pre-determined percentage of the settlement after closing your case. Personal injury lawyers understand that you shouldn’t have to worry about paying for legal fees or costly legal bills while recovering after your accident. As you decide which car accident lawyer to select, ensure that they operate on a contingency basis. This will significantly reduce the up-front costs of your legal representation and is the most common pay structure for car accident lawyers.
Questions to Ask Your Potential Car Accident Lawyer
Most car accident lawyers offer free consultations. These consultations are meant to give you the knowledge and understanding of your situation and how best to move forward. However, they are also a great opportunity to decide if you can work with this injury lawyer or law firm. This will give you peace of mind that your case is being handled by somebody knowledgeable that you can trust. Some common questions to ask a car accident lawyer during the initial consultation are as follows:
- Have you handled many cases like this in Edmonton – Location matters, and it’s nice to know that your car accident lawyer has experience in Edmonton and has a network of relevant experts who understand the city and its nuances.
- Will you be handling my case or somebody else at the firm – many larger injury law firms use intake teams or have specialists who handle signing up clients, but they do not actually handle your case. This is important as you want to know who you are working with and if you get along well with that person.
- What is your fee structure – As outlined above, understanding the fees is incredibly helpful. Ensure they operate on a contingency basis and understand how much they charge. This is helpful if you evaluate multiple injury law firms, as the fees vary.
- How do you communicate updates to your client – Understanding how your car accident lawyer will update you and how frequently you wish to be updated is important. You want to focus on your recovery and know your case is being handled. Suppose you prefer phone calls versus email or have limited availability. In that case, this is a great topic to discuss as it will greatly impact your working relationship with your car accident lawyer.
- What is your success rate – At the end of the day, getting the largest settlement available to you and moving on with your life is the most important part of this process. Ask your injury lawyer about previous success. You want to be comfortable with your selection and that they are no stranger to success and delivering results.
Red Flags to Watch Out For When Choosing an Edmonton Car Accident Lawyer
Of course, when you are evaluating different car accident lawyers, there are red flags you want to be aware of. Choosing a car accident lawyer can be overwhelming because there are so many to choose from. So, while understanding what you need, and knowing which questions to ask is important, it is also important to know what to look out for. Here are some red flags to consider:
- Experience – As mentioned previously, injury law is complex. You want a car accident lawyer who is focused on that area of law and up-to-date on the changes in injury law.
- Evasiveness about fees – Fees are not something to shy away from. Your car accident lawyer should be able to discuss their fee structure in a simple way.
- Promises or guarantees – Injury law is complex, considering many factors. While a car accident lawyer should feel confident in their ability to deliver you results, be careful of guarantees and promises.
- High-pressure sales tactics – You shouldn’t feel pressured in your free consultation. This is an important decision, and you should be given the information and time you need to make the best decision for you and your family. An experienced car accident lawyer won’t pressure you into signing up with them or offer take it or leave it terms to represent you.
- Hesitation to go to Trial – While most car accident injury claims do not go to trial, you want to ensure your injury lawyer will represent your case right up to the end. It is a major red flag if they are hesitant about trial or ruling it out in the consultation.
Hammer Injury Law, Your Edmonton Car Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident call The Hammer, Rick Mallett. Rick is an experienced personal injury lawyer here to help you get the settlement you need to move forward with your life. He understands the nuances of Edmonton car accident law and can help you understand how to move forward after your accident. Schedule a free consultation with Rick today to begin your injury law claim.
