Orange County Car Accident Attorney

Studies show that 4.4 million people are injured enough to require medical attention after a car accident each year in the United States. A car accident can result in many serious injuries and life-long disabilities, not to mention financial damages.

Hiring an attorney is often necessary if you want to recover all of your damages and maximize your compensation. Do you want to learn how to find the right car accident attorney for your case?

Keep reading this guide for the top seven questions you should ask before hiring an Orange County car accident attorney.

1. Do You Offer Free Consultations?

First, you should ask your potential lawyer if they offer free consultations. Many lawyers allow you to meet in person or over the phone to discuss your case before you commit to hiring them.

This gives you the opportunity to discuss your questions and concerns with them about your case. For example, your attorney could tell you whether or not they think your case is worth pursuing.

A free case evaluation will also allow you to find an attorney that you feel comfortable working with. Make sure your attorney makes you feel understood and has good communication skills before you hire them.

2. What Is Your Legal Experience?

Learning about your lawyer’s legal experience is one of the first things you must do before hiring an Orange County car accident attorney.

This will allow you to learn more about their education, areas of expertise, and how long they have been practicing law. Lawyers with more legal experience will typically be more knowledgeable and equipped to handle even the most complex cases.

Not only do you need to know about their experience working as a lawyer, but you need to learn more about their experience working on a case similar to yours. This is because there are many areas of law, each with different laws and regulations.

Finding a lawyer that specializes in car accidents will help you get the most favorable outcome from your case and you can feel confident that your legal rights will be protected.

3. What Legal Fees Do You Charge?

Next, you need to ask your attorney about their legal fees. Learning about legal fees is especially important if you are facing serious medical bills or other damages. In 2020, total motor-vehicle injury costs were about $473.2 billion.

These damages include lost wages and productivity, property damage, medical expenses, and more. If you are dealing with these types of damages, you may think that you cannot afford the services of an Orange County car accident attorney.

Legal fees can vary between attorneys. For example, some will charge their clients an hourly rate. Asking your lawyer about the legal fees they charge can help you know what to expect when it comes to the price of your legal representation.

It may be best to find a car accident attorney that works on a contingency fee basis. This means you won’t owe your lawyer anything until you win your case. Instead, your lawyer will take a percentage of your winnings from your settlement.

This makes it much easier for anyone to afford legal help after a car accident.

4. Do You Have References?

You may also want to find a lawyer that offers references for their past clients.

Even if your lawyer is not willing to provide you with references, you can learn more about their reputation in other ways. First, you can look at online reviews for your lawyer. Do they have a lot of negative reviews or dissatisfied clients?

You can also ask local friends and family members for recommendations. If they have been involved in a car accident and have worked with a lawyer in the past, you may have success working with the same lawyer.

Lastly, you should research your lawyer to ensure that they have not had any disciplinary action taken against them.

5. How Long Will My Case Take?

When you hire a law firm for your car accident case, you may not know how long it will take. If you were seriously injured in your accident, you may be out of work as you face mounting medical bills.

Asking your lawyer how long your claim or lawsuit will take can provide you with peace of mind. While your attorney will not be able to give you an exact amount of time, they may give you an estimate.

6. Do You Have Courtroom Experience?

While most car accident cases reach a settlement, others may have to go to court. Because of this, you need to find an Orange County car accident attorney that has courtroom experience and is prepared to go to trial if necessary.

If your attorney forces you to settle your case, you may not receive as much compensation as you deserve.

Talk to your lawyer and ask them what percentage of their cases went to court. You should also learn whether or not they won those cases.

7. How Will You Keep Me Updated?

Good communication needs to be a priority when you hire a legal team for your car accident case. Talking with your legal team about your communication expectations will ensure that you are always kept up-to-date with changes happening in your case.

How often will your team update you? Are they attentive and respectful when they talk with you?

Looking for an Orange County Car Accident Attorney?

When you are in a car wreck, finding the right legal help is imperative if you want to receive fair compensation. Asking your car accident lawyer each of these questions will help you find a reliable representative for your case.

If you need help finding an Orange County car accident attorney, Riverview Accident Lawyers can help! We specialize in auto-related accidents in Santa Ana, CA.