If you are injured in a car accident, it won’t take long to realize that you have even more responsibilities to worry about at a time when doing your normal activities may be difficult or impossible. Going to doctor’s visits, running simple errands, or spending time with friends and family may no longer be a way of life. You can also experience an overwhelming number of financial obligations that put a greater burden on your depleted finances. Even if you think you have adequate insurance to protect you after an accident, you may find yourself in a situation where you need a car accident attorney to just get by.
Just as there are a lot of frauds in every type of business, there are also attorneys who are more interested in getting as much money as possible from each client than they are from giving them the best legal advice possible. The last thing you need to add to your worries is an attorney who isn’t interested in protecting your rights. Below are some tips on what to look for in a car accident attorney to ensure you get the help you need and not another problem that you have to deal with.
Experience Matters
There is a lot to learn from an attorneys past, including how focused they are on the area of personal injury from car accidents and their previous success. The knowledge that comes from experience surpasses any other kind and you should always look for a car accident attorney who has put a number of years into building a reputable business with other clients in similar situations to yours. Attorney James Maslyn uses his 36 years in a single law firm and 20 years of experience as a commercial arbitrator for AAA to provide clients with the experienced representation they need to get the compensation they need.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Some attorneys offer only litigation services, costing their clients even more money when their case drags on for months or even years. A car accident attorney who offers mediation and arbitration as methods of alternative dispute resolution can help their clients get the compensation they need in a much shorter period of time. In many cases, they charge a flat fee for the ADR process and reduce the stress placed on the accident victim instead of prolonging the battle.
Although there are mediators and arbitrators out there who preside over a variety of case types, it is important to your success to get a car accident attorney who is also skilled as a mediator and arbitrator. The mediator/arbitrator will need to have in-depth knowledge of the law to effectively guide the parties through the process and, in the case of arbitration, make the best decision for all parties involved.
During the mediation process, the parties retain control of the outcome and reach a resolution when all parties agree to the same terms. To serve as a successful neutral, they need the experience of a car accident attorney, mediator, and arbitrator under their belt.
