If you’ve been involved in a car or trucking accident, then working with auto accident injury attorneys will give you the best chance of getting fair compensation to cover your expenses and help you get back to normal life with minimal delay. But finding the right accident injury attorney is key — and hiring the wrong one may leave you worse off. With that in mind, it’s good to learn how to recognize a few red flags. Here are signs you’ve come across an accident injury attorney you don’t want to be working with:
- They Come to You
You should never work with an attorney who reaches out to you directly after you have an accident. This strategy — commonly known as ambulance chasing — is actually prohibited by the national Bar Association. In fact, if any lawyer does reach out to you in this way, you should report him or her to the local Bar Association.
- They Guarantee Success
No good lawyer will give you a guarantee. Experienced personal injury lawyers know that there’s no way to completely accurately predict the outcome of any legal action, and it’s misleading to even pretend that’s a possibility.
- They’re Eager for Court
You might not know that it’s possible to get a fair settlement without ever going to court; in fact, the vast majority of personal injury claims are settled either completely outside the legal system or through an alternate route such as arbitration. A bad lawyer won’t inform you of those options, and will instead push you toward an immediate lawsuit — a decision that’s likely to result in more stress and expense on your part.
- They Push Without Evidence
Part of a lawyer’s job is to help you get the maximum amount of car accident compensation. A good lawyer will do this by setting a fair target goal and then negotiating with the other party’s lawyers, or sometimes preparing for court. But an inexperienced attorney will set a monetary goal that’s unfounded, and that’s a move that could stall your negotiations altogether.
- They’re Too Brusque
A lawyer’s job is to know the law and guide you through successful legal action, but that doesn’t mean he or she gets to be brusque or rude. You’re still the client, and you should expect to be treated with compassion and courtesy.
Do you have any dos and don’ts to share regarding hiring personal injury attorneys? Discuss in the comments.
