If you’ve been involved in an accident, it is often in your best interest to hire the best accident attorney Louisville can offer to represent you. An accident can be a life changing event with far reaching consequences, and it’s important not to short change yourself. The key to hiring the best, most experienced accident attorney Louisville firm to protect your interests both in and out of the courtroom is to ask plenty of questions, and to give your lawyer as much information as possible so he can work with you for a positive outcome in your case.
The first step in finding an attorney is to narrow down the field of choices. If you look online or in the phone book, you’ll see plenty of accident attorney Louisville law firms from which to choose. The sheer number can be overwhelming! That’s why it can be a good idea to ask friends, family, neighbors or coworkers for recommendations. If none of your friends has been in a similar situation before, perhaps they can tell you who they’ve hired for other matters. A divorce attorney, for example, won’t be able to represent you, but he can likely give you some names of those who can.
If you’d rather not talk to anyone about your personal situation, you can also contact the local bar association for a list of attorneys. The web is also a good place to look, as there are some sites that offer reviews of attorneys. Once you’ve established a list of potential candidates, call to set up an appointment with each. Many accident attorney Louisville firms offer a free initial consultation, which is a great way for you to ask a lot of questions before you make a final decision and hire a lawyer.
Upon your initial meeting, make the best use of your time by having a list of questions prepared beforehand that can answer some of your basic questions as well as those pertaining specifically to your case. One of the first questions to ask is how much the lawyer charges, and how payment is set up. This can vary widely between firms, though many work on a contingency basis, accepting a percentage of a potential settlement as payment for fees. Be sure to ask, too, how court costs and additional expenses are handled and who will be responsible for paying those during your case as well.
It’s also a good idea to ask about the lawyer’s experience as well as the size of the firm. It can be important to know who will be working on your case and to understand why some work might be performed by paralegals or other associates within the firm. If you and the attorney have a solid understanding of each other’s expectation, it can lessen the potential for headaches later on.