How to Choose the Right Los Angeles Auto Attorney

It’s tough and stressful when it comes to dealing with the impacts of a car accident. This is why an auto attorney is ideal. But how do you choose the best one?

Read on for more.

Introduction

There is a pretty good chance that you never thought you would find yourself here, in this moment, needing to find a Los Angeles auto attorney. But, here you are. If you or someone you love has been injured in a motor vehicle accident, then it is important to seek legal counsel. Accidents can cause physical or emotional issues that need to be addressed – and this could mean time off of work, hospital bills, rehabilitation, and more. An attorney can help you get compensated for the ways the accident has impacted your life.

But, wait – have you ever tried to type “Los Angeles auto attorney” into Google’s search bar? If so, then you know the search engine’s results page can seem endless. Where do you even start? How do you know if an attorney is the right one for you?

Here’s how to choose the right one.

Ask For Referrals

Car accidents happen every day so it is not uncommon to know someone who has experience with an auto attorney. You can reach out to friends, family, co-workers, and others to see if anyone has had experience with an auto attorney. These individuals may have had experience personally or know someone who has.

Since a lot of people are always quick to offer up names, it is good to ask a few questions so you can have an idea of whether or not the attorney is someone you may want to look into. Consider questions such as:

• What type of case they were represented in
• Whether they received the compensation they were looking for
• Were the attorney and his/her staff easy to communicate with
• Were they happy overall with their experience with the attorney

Put together a list of those that sound good so that you can check into them later. Do not just hire the first attorney referred simply because someone referred them. Your auto accident case is your chance to be rightfully compensated for any injuries you have sustained as well as lessen any impact on your future as much as possible. In other words, you are going to want to make sure that you have the best attorney working for your case.

Read the Reviews

You don’t want to invest a lot of time and energy into reading reviews, but it is a good way to get an idea about how people who have experienced an attorney feel. Keep in mind that it is not uncommon for someone to have a bad review. It may not have even been the attorney’s fault, but someone who was just having a rough day. However, if you see more negative reviews than positive – or the negative seem to have a pattern – you may want to reconsider.

Online reviews are just to give you an idea about an attorney. They should not be what you base your future on. Your experience with an attorney may be completely different – so use these lightly.

Review Websites

Once you have narrowed down a list of potential auto accident attorneys, take some time to check out their website. Does it look like auto accidents are their main focus? Do they list settlement examples? How long have they been practicing? See what you can learn about them online and narrow your list down even more. You should have a couple of attorneys, maybe 2-3, left that you would like to set up consultations with and see if they are a good fit for you.

Setting Up a Consultation

Finally, call and set up consultations with a couple of attorneys that stand out to you. When you have your meeting, whether on the phone, via video conference, or in person, be prepared to explain your accident, injuries, and prognosis. Also, be prepared to ask the attorney some questions. The more information you can gather, the easier it will be to choose the best attorney. Below are some ideas for questions to ask:

• Have you ever had a case like mine? If so, how did it turn out?
• Do you see any issues with my case? Or, do I even have a case?
• How much experience do you have in handling auto accidents?
• How much do you charge? How does payment work?
• Do you have time to dedicate to my case?
• How will you and your office communicate about the case?
• What do you think my case is worth?
• How long do you think a case like this will take to settle?

Depending on the amount of time you have, you may or may not be able to get through all of these questions. So, choose the ones that are most important to you – or come up with some on your own.

Your consultation is a time for you to meet the attorney, find out his/her thoughts on your case, and decide if you want to move forward with hiring.

Easier Way to Find an Auto Attorney

If you feel that asking around, reading reviews, checking out websites, and otherwise doing your due diligence seems like a lot of unnecessary work, you aren’t wrong. Truth is, there is an easier way to find a Los Angeles auto accident attorney – one that you can feel confident can handle your case. Checking out the San Fernando Valley Bar Association’s Attorney Referral Service – or any bar association’s page – can link you with attorneys that are licensed to handle cases like yours. This narrows down a lot of the steps, only leaving you with a consultation. After all, you always want to meet an attorney for hiring them.

When you’ve been injured in an auto accident, the last thing you want to do is have to deal with a long to-do list of steps to try to find someone to represent your case. So, take the easy way – it is the smart thing to do. The sooner you can get an attorney working your case, the faster you can sit back, relax, and heal while waiting on your settlement.