Motorcycles can be thrilling to ride but they are also dangerous. You’re more likely to sustain serious injuries because there is no layer of protection compared to when you’re in a vehicle. Motorcyclists are injured and killed more often than people in all other vehicles. Two vehicles could be involved in a friendly “fender bender,” but with the motorcycle accident, it will be hard to escape without going to the hospital.
That is why it makes sense to look for a motorcycle accident lawyer if you’ve been involved in a serious collision that has resulted in severe injuries. Here is a reputable motorcycle attorney website. You should not necessarily settle on the first attorney you come across given the intricate nature of such cases. There are a couple of considerations to have in mind when hiring an attorney, and we’re going to highlight some of them.
Knowledge Base
The first thing you’d want to confirm is the attorney’s knowledge base. This is because personal injury law is complex and you’d want to work with someone that concentrates on that particular area of the law. Ideally, you’d want to work with someone that worked on motorcycle accident cases. Some law firms have attorneys that are motorcyclists themselves and they may have more interest in fighting for the rights of fellow bikers.
Knowledge, experience, and communication are three of the most important things to look for when seeking legal advice. If you’ve found yourself in a motorcycle accident, be sure to contact the team at Marks & Harrison to ensure you receive the help and compensation you deserve.
Experience
Experience is one of the most important considerations when searching for any kind of lawyer and a motorcycle accident attorney is no exception. There are different ways you can use to gauge the experience of the lawyer you intend to work with. One of the ways is to look at the number of years that they’ve been practicing. Another option would be to look at the number of cases that the attorney has handled. They should be mostly related to motorcycle and auto accidents. There are many ways to handle motorcycle accident cases and they can result in a trial verdict, arbitration, settlement, or mediation. Qualified attorneys will have had experience with each of those results. A good attorney will not have problems when you ask for references for their work. You can reach out to one or two of the references provided and ask them about their experience working with the attorney.
Communication
Communication is crucial when working with an attorney. You need to be updated whenever there are any developments with the case. It is understandable when you have questions and a good attorney should not find it bothersome when you bring up your concerns. He or she will try to answer all the questions that you could be having about the process. There are attorneys that are not responsive and will limit interactions with clients. It will be difficult to work with such an attorney. You can know the kind of communication that you’ll be getting when you reach out to the attorney for the first time. Was there someone at the other end of the line to talk to? How long did you have to wait before you could get a response from the law firm? Is the attorney available for video calls? Asking such questions will give you insights into how the attorney handles communication with clients.
Availability
You don’t want to be working with an attorney that is spread too thin and barely has time for your case. If you’re always finding it hard to get in touch with the attorney, it might be time that you contemplated looking for another person for the job. The lawyer should respond to your inquiry quickly and guarantee that they’ll be available for your case when you first reach out to them. Most attorneys can offer phone or video consultations and you should not be required to meet in person for every meeting.
Local
Working with a local attorney, such as lambergoodnow.com is beneficial in so many ways. For starters, they’re aware of the local laws when it comes to personal injury cases. There are many local statutes that attorneys must understand when it comes to motorcycle accidents and your lawyer should be up-to-date with the latest laws and regulations. It will not be a big concern should the case go to trial as they know their way around the court system. When doing the search, make sure that you’re narrowing the results to your locality. You should be working with someone that is familiar with the local court procedures and systems which will make it easy to file the claim.
Ask Questions
You’re encouraged to ask as many questions as possible in case something is not clear. Since it might be the first time that you’re working with such an attorney, there will be a lot of things that are not clear or apparent. There is nothing wrong with asking the attorney questions as you’ll be relying on them for legal counsel. You may even ask questions about specific topics such as: Should I answer questions about the accident from the other driver’s insurance company? Should I go to the emergency room if my injuries get worse? I wasn’t wearing a helmet, does that affect my case? You may also have questions about the attorney and their processes and procedures. You should feel comfortable asking the attorney what you should expect during the entire process and they should be able to walk you through that in a clear and understandable way.
Interview Several Attorneys
The final shortlist should have two or three attorneys that should be interviewed. In addition to the experience, you’ll want to find out if there is chemistry because it will be hard to work with someone that you don’t get along with. The majority of motorcycle accident attorneys will offer a free consultation that you can take advantage of so that you’re knowing the person better. Have a list of questions that you’d want to ask the attorney. Take note of how they respond as it will give you an idea of the services that you can expect when working with the attorney.