If you are involved in a car accident where you sustain personal injury or significant damages to your vehicle, you will want to seriously consider hiring a car accident lawyer. An auto accident lawyer can help you recover losses by negotiating with insurance claims adjustors and/or taking your case to court. While you may choose to negotiate with an insurance claims adjustor yourself, remember that claims adjustors are trained to settle your claim for as little money as possible. Also, once you accept money from an insurance company, your claim is settled and there is little an attorney can do at that point to recover more money if your injuries are more extensive than you originally thought.

Keep in mind that insurance claims adjustors record conversations and try to establish liability and limit damages. A car accident lawyer is experienced in negotiating with insurance companies; therefore, it is best to consult a car accident lawyer early to avoid financially painful mistakes. Also, people who utilize a car accident lawyer typically receive higher settlements than people who negotiate their own claims—even after paying legal expenses.

Paying an attorney is a concern that many car accident victims worry about. Most attorneys will take car accident cases on a contingency fee basis. That means that you do not have to pay the attorney upfront as the attorney will receive a percentage of the money they recover for you—usually 1/3 of the amount awarded to you. This provides accident lawyers with tremendous motivation to be an effective advocate for you in the settlement of your insurance claim or car accident case. It is important to be aware that contingency fees do not cover costs of litigation and you will be responsible to pay your car accident attorney for things including, but not limited to copies, expert witness expenses, filing costs, and court reporter fees for depositions.

It is important to contact a car accident lawyer soon after your auto accident so they can speak to your insurance company on your behalf, protect your rights, and inform you of the options you have to receive the money entitled to you for your damages and/or injuries. Also, you may need money to pay medical bills and cover lost wages—the sooner you contact an attorney, the sooner you can financially recover from your car accident. Contacting a car accident attorney promptly after an accident will also help you avoid missing out on just compensation due to statutes of limitations, or deadlines (which vary from state to state), that prevent you from making a claim. It is, therefore, in your best interest to contact a car accident attorney sooner than later so they can help you obtain the recovery you are entitled to.

When you are involved in an accident and want to pursue an accident claim, time is of the essence. Just like many other areas in our lives, there are deadlines you must meet to file an accident claim. The maximum amount of time you have to file a claim is known as a statute of limitations. Statutes of limitation vary for different lawsuits and in different states. An accident lawyer will be able to advise you and help you file your claim in a timely manner.

Failing to file a claim within the time period allotted for your lawsuit may terminate your right to recover damages if someone else is liable for your accident or injuries. Therefore, if you are pursuing an accident claim, it is important to seek the advice of an experienced accident lawyer soon after your accident so you can file your claim before the statute of limitations runs out.

Statutes of limitations usually begin immediately after the incident occurs; however, in some instances, the statute of limitations does not begin until the plaintiff knows or should have known about the negligence or fault of another party. In instances where a person has a delay in discovering the harm or negligence, statutes of limitations can be tolled, or extended.

Statutes of limitations are also tolled for minors. If a minor experiences an incident that causes them injury or harm, the minor will have a chance to pursue legal action when they turn 18.

If you experienced an accident that caused you personal injury or significant damages, always seek the legal advice of an accident lawyer immediately so you do not risk losing your right to fair compensation due to the passing of time.

Once you have a list of attorneys with experience in car accident or personal injury claims, you should find out their record of success in overseeing cases like yours. A strong record of success demonstrates expertise and experience in handling accident claims. If a car accident attorney has won numerous other cases like yours, it is a good indicator that he or she will have the experience necessary to handle your case.

Another thing you want to know about your potential car accident attorney is if they have experience trying cases like yours. It is important to have a lawyer with a good reputation as a trial lawyer even if you are planning on settling your claim outside of court; you may need to go to trial to receive fair compensation for your damages and/or injuries. Also, insurance companies tend to offer larger settlements if your attorney has a reputation as a good trial lawyer as insurance companies generally want to avoid going to court. A good trial lawyer will give you the type of attention that your case deserves and help you obtain the recovery you are entitled to.

You also want to know if your potential lawyer charges a contingency fee or an hourly rate. Most car accident lawyers use a contingency fee, where you do not have to pay the attorney upfront. Rather, they receive a percentage of your award or settlement (usually 1/3) as compensation for their work. That means the attorney has to be successful to be paid for his or her services. While it is common practice for car accident lawyers to charge a contingency fee for their services, never assume this to be true. If the attorney will work for you on a contingency basis, ask what percentage of the recovery they will take and how additional costs of litigation will be calculated. Always ask how the attorney will be compensated for their work.

It is also good to know if your potential accident lawyer belongs to their state’s Trial Lawyers Association and/or the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America). Involvement in these organizations shows a commitment to promoting fair and effective justice. Other things to consider are years of experience, what law school the attorney attended and any additional training they may have.

Once you have gathered all of this information about your potential car accident lawyer, compare the qualifications of all the accident attorneys you researched and select the attorney who has the most experience handling your type of claim and has the best record, the best trial experience, and the best character. Often times, the money recovered for you may be directly correlated to the quality of the lawyer you choose.

The main types of attorney fees you will encounter are contingent fees, flat fees, and hourly fees. For most car accident cases a contingent fee arrangement is utilized. That means your attorney will not be paid for his or her services unless they recover money for your damages and/or injuries. Contingent fees are based on a percentage of the money awarded to you in court proceedings or through out-of-court settlement. Percentages generally range from 30 percent to 50 percent of the money recovered for you.

It is important to know when a contingent fee percentage will be calculated, as contingent fees generally do not cover additional expenses, such as court costs. Therefore, you should ask your attorney if the agreed contingent fee will be calculated after related expenses have been deducted from your settlement or before. Keep in mind that your lawyer will receive less money if the contingent fee is deducted after additional expenses have been subtracted from your award money as this reduces your total recovery amount.

Flat fees are another way lawyers can choose to be compensated for their time. A flat fee is a predetermined set amount of money a lawyer will charge you for his or her services. Flat fees are generally employed when a case is simple or routine. For example, flat fees are often used for drafting simple wills. As with the contingent fee, flat fees often do not cover additional expenses, such as photocopies and phone calls. Make sure you ask your attorney how these related costs will be applied to your bill.

Another fee arrangement utilized by lawyers is an hourly rate. When a lawyer charges you an hourly rate, you will be billed for each hour your attorney works on your case. In some cases, an attorney will charge a higher rate for court work hours and a lesser hourly rate for time spent researching and preparing for your case. Also, some attorneys will charge you an hourly rate until a prearranged maximum amount of costs has been reached.

When an hourly rate is charged by an attorney, keep in mind that the overall time spent on your case will be reduced if you have an experienced attorney representing you. As with all fees, be aware that additional out-of-pocket expenses may not be covered in the hourly rate. Be sure to ask your attorney what these additional expenses may be and how they will be charged to your account.

When discussing fees with your attorney, always ask for a written agreement of the terms. In addition to having the fee arrangement in writing, you should also ask your attorney about a payment schedule and how and when they want to be paid. All fees will be carefully documented by your attorney and you may contest your bill if the charges fall outside of your fee agreement.

It is also important to know that all types of fee schedules are negotiable as there is no standard percentage charged for contingent fees. There is also no standard hourly rate or flat rate charged by all attorneys. This being the case, it never hurts to ask if your attorney is willing to negotiate their fee. Often times, an attorney will be willing to reduce their fee if your case is exciting or if you have a lot of damages pending. If an attorney wants your business, they are usually inclined to negotiate a lower fee. For flat rates, it is harder to negotiate the fee as these are often simple legal transactions that the attorney encounters frequently. If you desire to negotiate a flat rate, your best option is to tell the attorney that you are in no rush and they can work on your business at their leisure. Attorney’s may consider lowering their flat rate if they do not have to prioritize your work.

One last word on negotiating fees. While it is always a good idea to ask if your attorney is willing to work for you at a reduced rate, be careful not to negotiate the rate to a level where it is not worth the attorney’s time to work diligently on your case. Ethically, if a lawyer agrees to a rate lower than their usual fee it should not affect their commitment to your case; however, be aware that when you negotiate fees to a baseline level, you just may be negotiating yourself to a second-class client.