About 60 out of every 100,000 registered motorcycles will be involved in a fatal accident. Several more will be involved in accidents that leave riders seriously injured.
If you’ve been struck by disabling adversity while riding, you probably have a lot to think about. How are you going to pay your bills? How can you go about continuing to provide for your family?
In most cases, the solution to those questions is getting a good accident settlement and that starts with hiring the best Tampa motorcycle lawyer (or wherever it is in the world you are) that you can get your hands on.
Below, our team breaks down key steps you can take to find great legal help. Keep reading to start down the path of finding extraordinary assistance!
- Keep It Local
There are plenty of ads on TV that push motorcycle accident legal services. The law firms you’re seeing advertised will usually be local firms. Some will be national firms though.
The problem with national firms is that they advertise to several states but are only licensed to practice in a few. If a nationally advertised firm you contact is not allowed to fight a case in your state, they’ll refer you to a lawyer of their choosing that you’ll have little insight into.
Rather than obtaining legal services through a middle-man, just keep your search focused on firms in your state so you know exactly who will be handling your case.
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2. Talk to Friends and Family
There’s no referral more powerful than a referral that comes from someone you trust. For that reason, when you’re trying to find the best motorcycle accident attorney, start by talking to friends and family members.
Maybe you’re part of a bike club that has members who have had to sue over accidents in the past. Maybe you have a sibling or cousin that has been involved in an accident before.
Whatever the case may be, poke around and see what you can find. You may get pointed towards a great attorney that might even extend to you low referral rates.
3. Value Niche
Law is an intricate topic that spans across several niches from criminal cases to corporate matters to traffic accidents. You want to avoid working with a firm that practices every conceivable avenue of law.
Instead, look for an attorney that lives and breathes accident cases and if possible, motorcycle accident cases. The more trained a firm is in handling cases that are exactly like the one you’re fighting, the faster and more successful you can expect your legal process to be.
Note that some firms do specialize in two or three legal areas. If they’re experienced in those areas and have specialists that work across each, you’re safe to check it out and see what they have to say about motorcycles.
Just exercise your best judgment when deducing how broad is too broad.
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4. Do a Reputation Search
Websites like Yelp and Google have made it simple for consumers like you to assess how good or bad a business is before stepping inside of it. Use those resources when assessing a prospective motorcycle accident attorney.
A quick Yelp search of motorcycle attorneys in your area should turn up a bevy of options. We recommend prioritizing leads that have more than 10 reviews and a review average of 4 stars or better.
5. Browse Legal Forums
If you’ve never heard of legal forums like Avvo, check them out! Online law forums are places where lawyers give free legal advice to questions being asked by community members. These Q&As can be valuable in helping you better understand your case and helping identify knowledgeable lawyers.
Take a look at any one of the several legal forums that touch on accident cases and don’t be afraid to message a lawyer or two that you’d like to have opine on your legal situation. Chances are, they’ll be more than happy to help.
6. Assess Years in Business
How long a legal practice has been operating isn’t a tell-tale sign of its quality. It is a reasonable indicator though that shouldn’t be ignored.
It stands to reason that motorcycle lawyers that have been in business for over a decade have managed that feat by delivering results to clients. Compare that to a law office that has just opened and you can appreciate how having a track record can help deduce expertise.
On the flip side, being a patron of a new firm might mean getting great deals and more attention.
7. Meet With Attorneys in Person
With the tips we’ve given you on finding an attorney thus far, you should be able to create a shortlist of 2 or 3 motorcycle lawyers you’re interested in engaging. Now, all that’s left to do is to meet with each of the people on your list.
Every accident attorney worth their salt will offer free consultations so don’t be afraid to request getting some time on their books to talk through your case.
During your conversation, ask about each attorney’s success rate, what they think your case is worth, and what they’ll charge for services. On the topic of charges, know that most accident attorneys work on contingency which means they’ll get a percentage of the settlement amount they negotiate for you.
Finding the Best Motorcycle Accident Attorney Is a Time-Sensitive Process
As you may have discovered after going through all of the steps we’ve shared, finding the best motorcycle accident attorney takes patience. Unfortunately, finding a great attorney also takes haste as time is of the essence when chasing settlements.
Balancing those two time priorities will be your greatest challenge as you seek legal assistance.
Our team wishes you good luck finding the best lawyer in your area. We also welcome you to browse more content on our blog for additional answers to all of your biggest questions!