Riding a motorcycle is fun and enjoyable. It also helps stimulate adrenaline release, making us feel excited. But as fun and enjoyable riding a motorcycle is, the activity presents a potential hazard. There is always a chance for an accident. An accident between two cars might not result in injuries. But a motorcycle accident? The potential and risk of an injury are high.
Motorcycle accidents are very common in the US. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that motorcycle accidents account for more than 14% of all traffic fatalities. To put it in broad numbers, in 2017, there were 5,172 fatal motorcycle accidents in the US. More than 89,000 people suffered an injury due to an accident. Those are numbers that make it scary for some people.
On the positive side, motorcycle accident victims and their families have legal rights to recover substantial compensation due to injury or death.
And that is where a motorcycle accident lawyer can help you. But how to find a motorcycle accident lawyer? How to choose the best one? We try to answer those questions. Read on!
Factors to Consider
When you look for a motorcycle accident lawyer, you should always consider the three main factors. Those are location, general practitioners, and reputation and experience. Let’s discuss them.
Location – Everything is better when sourced locally. That applies to food, and to lawyers as well. When you source food from locals, you know what you get. Let’s try and apply that same premise to lawyers as well.
And think about this for a second. Have you watched any advertisements for lawyers? Out-of-state law firms often refer your case to local firms within your state. Choosing a local lawyer ensures you hire somebody that knows the local court procedure. But he is also familiar with the judges.
General practitioners – Most law firms and independent lawyers function as general practices. What does that mean? Well, to put it simply, they handle different niches and areas of the law. They practice real estate, criminal defense, personal injury, taxes, and everything in between.
Somebody who has an occasional motorcycle case does not have the same knowledge and experience as someone focusing exclusively on personal injury law.
How can you find the one specializing in personal injury law? Simple, ask questions. Most importantly, ask what percentage of the practice is in motorcycle law.
Reputation and experience – When you hire a lawyer, you want to hire someone who can achieve the best results for you. You can ask the firm and practice all the right questions. But do not stop your hiring process there. Do some research, check online reviews, and testimonials from other clients as well. That will help you get a better understanding of the reputation of the company.
Get reviews and testimonials from as many sources as you can. And at the end of the day, try and compare a few attorneys before choosing the one you give your case to.
Where to Find a Good Lawyer?
We talked about the how, and now let’s talk about the where. The pool of attorneys is enormous. Just for info, there are more than 1.3 million lawyers in the US. Where to find the one you need? How to choose the best one? Well, there are a few ways to do that.
Friends and family – Asking your friends and relatives for a lawyer recommendation is a great way to find someone good. Chances are, a friend or family member had a case in the past few years. And if they didn’t, some of their friends or family had to hire a lawyer in the past few years. Referrals are a great way for lawyers to find more jobs, and it is the best way for you to find your lawyer.
Lawyer Referral – Here is another person you can ask for a good motorcycle accident lawyer. Your lawyer for a different case. For example, let’s say you hired a lawyer recently for business representation. Ask him/her whether they know someone who works in motorcycle accident claims.
Bar associations – State and local bar associations have lawyer referral services you can use. Most states have referral services organized by county
Google Search – Well, we live in the era of digitalization, after all. Nowadays, people search Google for everything. But it is not as easy as typing “motorcycle accident lawyer” in the search box. That is just one part of the equation. We said before that location is everything. That is why you should add a location to the search box.
Once you perform the Google search, look through the results, and check websites of lawyers and law firms. The good news? Most of them have testimonials on the website.
Lawyer Directories – Lawyer directories are a great source for finding local lawyers. The search helps you find lawyers depending on their area of practice. Some of the most popular directories are LegalZoom, Justia, and FindLaw.
Tips on Hiring the Best Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
We are now in the final part of how to find a good motorcycle accident lawyer process. We talked about how to find one, where to find one, and now let’s talk about how to ensure you get the best one.
At this point, you probably have a list of lawyers that meet your criteria. But it is time to choose which lawyer to hire.
The good news is that some lawyers offer a free consultation. Do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with few lawyers from your list. Bring your documents with you, including police reports, photographs of the accident scene, medical reports, and some more.
When you visit the lawyer’s office, it is time to ask the right question. We touched a bit on this topic, but let’s take a look at some important questions.
- Who will handle the case, the attorney interviewing you, or someone else at the firm?
- What is his experience? How long does he practice law?
- What percentage of his practice is devoted to motorcycle law?
- How many cases similar to yours has he handled previously? What was the outcome?
During the interview, you should also inquire about fees. We all have a budget. Practicing law is a profession, but also a business. Ask how much they will charge you and what expenses should you expect.
How Does the Process Go?
Finally, let’s talk about the process of your case. Once you hire a lawyer, your case will go through several phases.
The first phase is the documentation. You assign a legal team and they will gather records related to your claim. Those include medical records, medical bills, insurance policy information, police reports, and more. The documents will help your lawyer understand your case and build it for compensation.
Next is the investigation part of the process. Legal staff investigates the accident in detail. They gather all the necessary evidence. They look at footage, security camera photos, police records, and much more.
Now we are at the negotiation part of the process. Often, these cases end up in a settlement. Your lawyer will try to negotiate with the defense, outside of the courtroom.
If they fail to reach a settlement, your attorney will go to trial.
0 Comments