What to Look for When Seeking Local Car Accident Lawyers

There are more than 17,250 accidents in the US each day.

Over 33,000 people die in motor vehicle crashes each year.

About three million Americans suffer injuries in the accidents every year.

Distracted driving is to blame in one in five accidents.

Read THIS to Avoid Mistakes When Picking a Lawyer After a Vehicle Wreck

(NewsReady.com) – There are more than 17,000 accidents per day in the US, with roughly 100 proving fatal. The severity of crashes varies from minor collisions to multi-vehicle, multi-victim fatalities. The aftermath of these accidents can be almost as scary as the accident itself (depending on the severity, obviously).

Victims oftentimes don’t know how to handle what just happened. Should they call a lawyer? Should they call their insurance company? How are they supposed to know what to look for when hiring an attorney? We have the answers.

What to Do After an Accident

After a car accident, there are several steps to take. First, take photos of the positions of the vehicles. The driver will need other photos later, but it’s always best to get pictures right after if possible. If the vehicles are operational, pull over to the side of the road after getting pictures so as to not obstruct traffic. Even when an accident is minor, it’s best to stay at the scene of the crash.

Call the police after the accident (yes, even when it’s minor) and wait for officers to arrive. Sometimes it can take a couple of hours for the police to arrive on the scene. Be sure to tell them about any injuries or pain you have from the crash, and seek medical help if necessary. This is very important because many states have a deadline for reporting injuries from the accident if the victim wants to receive compensation.

Finally, call your insurance company to make a claim. You might also want to seek out an attorney.

What to Look for When Hiring a Lawyer

Hiring a lawyer can be a daunting task if you don’t already have one, which most people don’t. There are some very important qualities when hiring an attorney; let’s take a look at some:

Experience, experience, experience: You want to know the attorney you are hiring has won cases like yours before or been an integral part of a team that has won. Ask the attorney you are thinking about hiring for references, and then make sure you contact those references. Also, look at the attorney’s reviews, social media accounts, and check to make sure they don’t have any Bar complaints with the state.
Clear communication: Be sure to hire an attorney who has a lively, engaged, and clear conversation with you. If they’re acting sketchy when you ask them about their fees, process, or anything else, run away.
Organization and a friendly staff: When you hire an attorney, you will spend a significant amount of time talking to their clerks and receptionist throughout the case. Make sure those people are all friendly and competent.

Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.