Choosing a lawyer to represent you is no easy feat. People consume dozens of ads for injury lawyers every day in the form of radio ads, billboards, bus stops, ads in Google results, and TV spots. You might even run across them while scrolling through social media such as Instagram or TikTok. All this advertising can make it extremely difficult to know where to turn after being injured in a motorcycle accident. And the unfortunate reality is that choosing the wrong attorney can result in a lot of wasted time and lost money in the form of a smaller settlement and higher expenses. You even run the risk of losing out on compensation entirely.
If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident that resulted in serious injuries, or have a loved one who has been injured in an accident, avoid making these four mistakes when selecting someone to represent your interests with insurance companies and the court system.
Failing to Hire a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer At All
The biggest mistake you can make after an accident is to not hire a motorcycle accident lawyer at all. Many people think they aren’t entitled to damages after an accident, despite not being at fault at all, don’t believe their injuries are severe enough to justify a claim, or find the local legal system intimidating.
If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident and weren’t at fault, you could be owed compensation for your injuries, medical bills, and any lost wages. Hiring a lawyer is an important first step in you receiving the justice you deserve.
Choosing the Lawyer Promising the Biggest Payout
It can be easy to be swayed by a lawyer advertising huge settlements won for their clients. However, anyone promising large settlements, or promising any sort of payment at all, is just saying what they have to to sign you as a client. You want an experienced attorney who will offer you a frank, realistic analysis of your case’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as possible outcomes of pursuing your claim.
Above all else, remember this: if a lawyer’s outlook for your case sounds overly optimistic or a sure thing, it’s likely an empty promise.
Skipping the Free Consultation
Most injury lawyers offer a free initial consultation meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to learn the details of your accident, review evidence and documentation, and learn what can be done to strengthen your case. Most attorneys will use this time to advise you of your legal options, possible strategies, and what to expect from the claim process. You should use this meeting as an opportunity to learn about the lawyer’s experience, qualifications, and communication. It’s also the time for both parties to decide whether or not to work together.
If you skip this meeting, you’re missing out on a vital opportunity to vet your representation before starting the legal process. Spend the time to schedule meetings with several lawyers to ask them about their experience, make sure they specialize in motorcycle crash cases, and inquire about their success rate in those motorcycle cases.
Not Doing Your Research
Even if you’ve grilled a lawyer for a consultation, you still need to do some research on your own to learn more about them. Read reviews and testimonials from past clients online to learn about how well they communicate, how responsive they are to questions or concerns, if they’re proactive or not, and how well they prepared past clients for the entire legal process. A lawyer with a history of glowing reviews from clients is more likely to help you maximize compensation for your injuries.
Not all lawyers are the same, and choosing representation as if they are could be extremely detrimental to your case. However, by avoiding these four common mistakes when hiring a motorcycle lawyer, you’ll be able to feel secure that you have the best person possible looking out for your interests with the insurance companies.