A motorcycle accident can be a mind-shattering experience, especially when it happens due to someone else’s mistake. And following a legal proceeding to receive compensation is even more harrowing when you are unaware of the ropes and who to turn to.
Many people end up working with an inefficient attorney and making mistakes due to their naivety. Hence, they lose the chance to receive their rightful compensation.
To avoid such mishaps, we are providing a list of questions you must consider asking in case you become prey to a motorcycle accident and are hiring a lawyer to demand compensation.
- What is their educational qualification?
The first thing you must consider about your prospective attorney is their educational qualification and knowledge. Make sure the attorney you are considering is highly qualified and worthy of tackling your case. Most lawyers have their certifications and proofs of affiliation displayed in their offices. If you don’t find any certificates displayed on your lawyer’s office walls, don’t hesitate to ask them yourself.
It is your job to ensure the lawyer is credible and well-versed in laws regarding motorcycle accidents before signing a contract with them.
- Do you have an office in our state?
Most lawyers are associated with big national firms to work with clients in various states. In your case, it is better to work with a lawyer affiliated with a firm in your state. For instance, if you reside in Colorado, you must look for a motorcycle lawyer in Colorado instead of working with an attorney in another state.
It often becomes complicated to travel across the state, especially when you have severe injuries due to your accident. If the lawyer has an office in your city/state, they may even agree to meet you at your house, preventing you from the hassle of traveling with your injury.
- How much compensation can I get?
If you consult three different lawyers about your case, each will give you a number for the possible compensation you can get by working with them. But one thing that might differentiate them is how they calculate your compensation and the factors they consider.
The right attorney will consider your medical bills, missed work or loss of job, pain and emotional suffering, property damage, and other factors. Therefore, this is an important question to ask your prospective attorney. The more factors your attorney considers, the higher your compensation can be. Go with an attorney that calculates your compensation systematically, considering as many factors as possible.
- Who will be the focal perform for case-related communication?
During your lawsuit, you are not working with just one person but a whole team of lawyers, paralegals, researchers, and other support staff. It might be possible to speak with a few focal individuals involved in the case apart from the attorney themselves.
However, you cannot communicate with everyone on the team— it is impossible. Therefore, ask your lawyer about the focal person for case-related discussions and communications.
- How long have they worked on motorcycle accident cases?
An accident lawyer doesn’t work on motorcycle accident lawsuits only. But since your concern is about motorcycle accidents, you need to ask how long or how frequently they have worked on similar cases.
The higher the number of motorcycle accident lawsuits in their portfolio, the greater their experience. A lawyer who has worked on many similar cases is the right person to fight your case.
- How many cases have you won?
Your attorney’s experience of working on many lawsuits matters a lot, but also important is to know the number of cases for which they have received a settlement. It wouldn’t matter how many cases they have worked on if they lost most of them.
Going with such a lawyer means your chance of getting a hefty compensation is not fat either. Therefore, when interviewing your prospective attorney, never hesitate to ask them outright about the number of cases they have won for their clients.
- Can you handle the defender’s insurance company?
Insurance company in your motorcycle accident lawsuit often becomes a hurdle in securing reasonable compensation. The insurance company will try to settle with the lowest possible settlement amount. If they succeed in their endeavor, you will not get your rightful compensation. Therefore, when hiring an attorney, enquire about their experience with insurance companies.
Your lawyer must be confident and have excellent negotiation skills for defending your claim in front of the insurance company representative. They should also not hesitate to move forward with a court trial and give a tough time to the defending side.
Conclusion
Motorcycle accidents have mental and physical repercussions on the victim. Your motorcycle accident lawyer must consider these aspects when defending you in a court of law. Simultaneously, your lawyer must be able to handle your legal details wisely.
Before hiring your attorney, you must ask the above questions before finalizing an attorney to ensure they are the right choice.
