In 2017, there were 475,000 truck accidents in the US. They tend to cause more damage and more serious injuries than accidents between smaller vehicles because of their sheer size and weight. Often, the accident is not the fault of the truck driver, but no matter who was to blame, you will benefit from a truck accident attorney representing you. These accident situations are often complex, so here are a few tips to help you find the specialist to assist you and make this process at least a little simpler.
Experience
Every truck accident is different, and the more experience a truck accident attorney has, the more likely they are to have come across a case similar to yours before. Although this is not essential, it does help to speed the processes of dealing with the matter. Ask to see cases they have dealt with in the past. Although this may only be able to provide limited details because of client confidentiality, they will be able to give you some idea of the scope of cases they have dealt with before.
Ask to see the Qualifications
You need to make sure they are fully qualified and licensed to deal with any legal matter relating to your truck accident. Ask to see proof of their qualifications, as you will then know they have trained long and hard to achieve it. Not just anyone can say they are an attorney, as it takes time and effort to get a license to practice and they need to have reached certain standards to qualify. (1)
Recommendations from friends and family
You may well know friends, family, or workmates that have been in a similar situation, so you could ask them for recommendations, but do make sure it is a truck accident attorney they are sending you to see and not someone that specializes in another area. You also need to remember that, although they may have been in an accident, it does not mean the way your case is handled will be the same. This is especially true if they were in a car accident that didn’t concern any large vehicles.
Consider Review Sites Online
You could consider looking at some of the online review sites, but whether they can be trusted is debatable. Many people only post on them if they have something good to say and it is sometimes better to look at the testimonials that are from past customers that have used the services of an attorney you are considering.
Meet More Than One Attorney
You need to have trust in the attorney you decide to use, and that is probably best achieved by meeting with more than one. Some people, for no apparent reason, just do not get on, and you do not want to find yourself in this situation with your lawyer. It is worth taking the time to discuss your case with more than one attorney and then decides which one of them you feel most comfortable with. (2)
You will have suffered enough trauma because of the accident itself, and now need to find someone that you feel is on your side 100%.
