Being involved in a motor vehicle crash is traumatic by itself. Dealing with the aftermath of the possibility of being hospitalized, seeking treatment for your injuries, filing an insurance claim and getting legal advice can certainly add to the stress. When you are involved in a motor vehicle crash, the investigating police officer will want answers and if you are seriously injured, your insurance company may need your statement or other information. It’s hard to even know where to begin when searching for a personal injury lawyer at a time when you may not even know what to do next and it will be overwhelming.

You Need to Act Fast After Your Collision

Many lawyers offer free initial consultations. In the consultation, the lawyer can discuss your case and let you know whether you have a valid claim that can and should be pursued. Having legal representation will prevent you from reducing the value of your case as so many mistakes are often made when injured victims are not represented and there are important deadlines to consider. If you are hospitalized or immobile at home, a lawyer should be able to come to you so don’t be afraid to ask.

From one crash survivor to another, here are seven things to keep in mind when you meet with a personal injury lawyer.

Will they be handling the claim personally or referring it out?

Is the law firm that you are considering hiring actually going to do the work?  This may seem like an odd question but it needs to be addressed.  Some lawyers can charge a referral fee when referring a claim to another lawyer and it’s more common than you think. This type of arrangement has lead to an explosion in personal injury law advertising by lawyers who want to cash in by gathering as many claims as possible and referring them out to other lawyers who will actually do the legal work.

How many personal injury claims for collisions have they handled? How many claims have gone to trial? You will need to get an idea of how busy their law firm is and what percentage of cases are similar to yours.

How long have they been in practice?  You want a law firm that has plenty of experience.

Do you see any problems with my case?  It’s important to find out if your lawyer suspects any problems at all so you are not surprised months or years into your claim.

How long will it take?  This is a question that everyone asks and although the lawyer will not give you a direct date of settlement, he or she should be able to give you some kind of indication. Keep in mind that your recovery will play a big part in this timing as your lawyer will need to determine the long term affects surviving the crash will have on your life.  Lawyers also do not want to give you an exact date for settlement as they may not know and do not want to get your hopes up in case your claim gets delayed.

Will the lawyer be handling the case personally or will it be passed to someone else in the firm?  If other lawyers or staff may do some of the work, ask to meet them in person or to speak to them on the phone to get a feel for the person(s).  You may be dealing with them until your case is settled which could be several years.

Do your own research. The internet is a wonderful tool to use. Google the law firm’s name and see what kind of search comes up. Study their website, look for testimonials and reviews. 

When you are involved in a collision, both your auto insurance carrier and the other driver’s auto insurance carrier will want to talk to you.  To prevent them from contacting you, your personal injury lawyer will advise all relevant parties that you are legally represented.  Your lawyer will notify each person or entity that all future contacts or inquiries must come through their office so that you can focus on your recovery.

It’s About Experience and Reputation

Some people are inclined to think that they need to hire the biggest firm in the largest city but that is not the case.  Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer after being injured in a motor vehicle crash is one of the most important decisions you will make and you need a lawyer experienced in the field of personal injury law. Your relationship with your personal injury lawyer will likely last for several years so it is important that you and your lawyer are a good fit as well as the law firm. You will be interacting a lot with both your lawyer and his or her staff so your ability to communicate effectively with one another is extremely important as well as your comfort level.

You will want a lawyer that listens and understands not just your case but who you are as a person as you navigate your road to recovery. Hiring a personal injury lawyer to take care of your motor vehicle claim is crucial as your number one priority is to focus on your recovery and you will need a lawyer to handle the rest.  Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer to look after my claim after surviving a horrific motor vehicle crash was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  As my lawyer worked diligently on my behalf, it allowed me to focus on my recovery.

S. Dawne McKay is a survivor of a horrific crash that changed her life forever.  Dawne shares her personal journey as a Crash Survivor Blogger and also collaborates with crash survivors as Guest Bloggers allowing them an opportunity to share their stories.  Dawne is also the author of the book, “Talk Crash to Me – What to Expect After Surviving a Collision and How to Manage Your Recovery” which is available for purchase on Amazon.

The Crash Support Network is a unique one-of-a-kind website consisting of an online support group, a crash survivor blog, a quarterly newsletter, “Sharing Our Recovery” as well as highly informative articles. Our website is based on relationship-building and puts the needs of survivors first by creating a helpful resource for victims and survivors of motor vehicle crashes.