People are in car and truck accidents every day. Every year, there are at least six million of these accidents on United States roads. It has been estimated that at any given daylight minute of the day, there are 660,000 thousand people talking on a cell phone while they are on the road. In 2015, distracted driver killed 3,477 people. At least 28 people are killed every day by someone who is driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If a loved one of yours has been killed by one of these drivers, you may have a wrongful death case. Finding the right lawyer may be a challenge but these tips can help.
- Talk to your friends and family members. One of the best things you can do is get personal referrals for wrongful death attorneys in your area. One benefit to living in the most litigious nation on the planet, is that you probably know someone who has hired a lawyer for something. While the local divorce attorney cannot help your case, they may know someone who can. Most legal communities are small enough that attorneys who handle other kinds of cases can help you find the law firm you need.
- Go in and talk to a few different law firms. Lawyers who handle wrongful death lawsuits usually offer free consultations to new or prospective clients. Take advantage of this to talk to a few law firms. You never want to just hire the first person you talk to. It may be painful to go through this but it is worth it to talk to at least three or four different attorneys. This will give you a better sense of what is out there and what your options are. Now, you may end up going back to the first law firm you talked to but if you do not take the time to research your options, you may have regrets later about the lawyer you hired.
- Find someone with experience in your kind of case. All personal injury cases are different and all wrongful death cases are different. You need to go with a wrongful death lawyer who understands your case and has experience dealing with the issues that are involved in it. This will help you make sure you get the best outcome possible.
- Get all of your questions answered. The best thing is to bring in a list of all of your questions. Make sure they take the time with you when you are doing this. Here are some that you should ask:
- What interested you in this kind of law? You want to hire a lawyer who is passionate about what they do. They should not just punch a clock but really like what they do. These will be the strongest advocates for you.
- How many of these cases do you do a year? It is not unusual for a lawyer to handle different kinds of cases. Personal injury lawyers may work on tractor trailer accidents, big rig collisions and a host of car accident claims. You need someone who can help you with your specific case and have a lot of experience dealing with those issues.
- Ask about their track record. Make sure your lawyer is a good negotiator but is also comfortable in a courtroom. Most of these cases are decided out of court so you need someone who is good at negotiating the best settlements for their clients but you also need someone who is not afraid to get before a judge.
- Find out who will be working on your case. Law firms hire a number of professionals to help with their caseload. These include legal assistants, paralegals and others. You should ask about who will be working on your case so that you can get to know them.
- Ask about the fees they charge. Many lawyers, for cases like this, will not charge a fee but there may very well be other expenses you will have to pay. Just make sure you are clear on all of the billing issues before you hire any lawyer.
No one ever wants to need a wrongful death lawyer but these tips will help you get the right one.
