A truck accident can have a devastating impact on the current state of your life as well as your future. Choosing the right lawyer to assist you can make the difference between you receiving the compensation you deserve and you receiving nothing. When you are interviewing firms to take your case, we suggest that you look for certain red flags which will help you know which firms to avoid. We also suggest that you look for certain signs that can indicate that a firm is capable of providing you with the representation you need.
This article will discuss the following in regard to choosing a lawyer to handle your truck accident case:
- The need to avoid firms that do not focus on personal injury law
- The need to avoid firms which do not see cases through to the end of litigation
- The need to retain a firm with the resources necessary to handle your case
- The need to look at the potential lawyer’s track record in similar cases
We will discuss each of these points in turn.
Avoid Law Firms Which Do Not Focus On Personal Injury Law
There are law firms that focus on personal injury. There are others that simply take personal injury cases. The latter of these two tend to be firms that are of a “general practice” nature, meaning that they will handle almost any type of case. They also tend to be firms that focus on other areas, such as family law or criminal defense but will take a personal injury matter if the opportunity presents itself. While all attorneys must have a minimum level of competence to continue in the practice of law, the complicated nature of trucking accident cases can potentially present problems to a firm that lacks experience in such matters. This complicated nature includes the fact that trucking cases often involve multiple defendants and complex issues of comparative fault.
Trucking accidents are different from many other personal injury matters in that they often involve multiple defendants. Such defendants can include the driver, the truck’s owner, third-party management companies, and others. As we discussed in our article on identifying the defendants in a truck accident case, failing to name a defendant can result in the victim not receiving their full amount of compensation. An experienced attorney will be familiar with the various layers of liability which often exist in such cases and they will work to ensure that all the responsible parties are named in the case.
The number of defendants in a trucking accident case also greatly complicates the calculation of comparative fault. As we discussed in our article on comparative fault in truck accident cases, the determination of how much fault a party should bear can be subjective. Having an attorney who is experienced in arguing such cases to the jury is important in making sure that the correct parties are assigned their fair share of the blame.
By retaining a firm that focuses on personal injury law, you improve the chances that you are retaining counsel with experience in handling issues unique to trucking accident cases.
Retain a Firm Which Will See Your Case Through to the Completion of Litigation
There are some personal injury firms that do not handle cases through the litigation process. These are firms that consider themselves “pre-litigation” only. They typically partner with other lawyers who will initiate and handle a lawsuit if the case cannot be settled prior to litigation. Dealing with a lawyer who does not also handle the litigation process can mean that you will have to switch attorneys during the process. This can be disruptive to you and your case for several reasons. Retaining a firm that handles both “pre-litigation” and “litigation” can help ensure against such disruptions.
Retain a Lawyer With the Resources Necessary to Handle Your Case
Trucking accident cases can be highly expensive to litigate. Costs involved can include fees paid to various experts, extensive discovery costs, and more. Your attorney will not be reimbursed for these costs until your case is either resolved at trial or a settlement is reached. When you retain a law firm, it is important to retain one with the financial resources necessary to see your case through the entire process. If your attorney lacks adequate resources to handle the matter, then you run the risk of experts not being retained or other problems that can put you at a disadvantage. While it is ethically questionable for attorneys to take cases that they lack the resources to handle, the truth of the matter is that such situations do occur. This is why it is important to ensure that your firm has the financial resources it needs.
Consider Your Potential Lawyer’s Track Record
Your potential lawyer’s track record in other large cases they have handled, including those involving trucking accidents, can help with deciding whether or not you should retain them. It is, therefore, strongly suggested that you speak with your potential counsel about similar cases they have handled and how that experience will relate to your case. It is also strongly suggested that you speak with the State Bar of Florida to determine if the attorney has a history of prior reprimands. Finally, we suggest utilizing public reviews on websites such as Google to see the experiences that others have reported. Do not simply take the attorneys’ word for it that they will handle your case properly. Take the time to research your potential counsel.
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