How To Choose An Albany Accident Lawyer
There are a lot of very common mistakes that Albany residents make when selecting an Albany accident lawyer. Choosing the wrong accident attorney can be the cause of a great deal of frustration and can cost you a lot in your accident injury settlement or lose you your hearing. This article will help you avoid some of the common pitfalls many Albany residents have when choosing an accident attorney.
When choosing an accident lawyer many of us make the mistake of assuming an older lawyer, or one that attended a prestigious law school, is a better lawyer and therefore worth a higher fee. That is just plain incorrect. There are many very qualified accident lawyers that are younger and didn’t attend a prestigious school, but they have tons of experience in the courtroom where it matters most. There are a lot of people who excel on tests in the classroom but fall flat on their face in the real world, and the accident lawyer field is no different.
Another common mistake is to choose an entire law firm rather than a single attorney. By going with a law firm in Albany, you may be stuck with a less competent accident lawyer, even though the firm itself is one of the best. When choosing an accident lawyer, be sure you agree on a specific attorney that you feel comfortable with.
Often times it is easy to choose a lawyer that you see on tv, in the Albany newspaper or with a high profile ad in the Albany phone book. Just because a lawyer spends lots of money to advertise doesn’t mean they are the best in the court room. Take a look at each attorney’s win/loss record, and be sure that the cases they won are similar to yours. If a lawyer is on TV every commercial break but hasn’t won any cases like yours you should move on and find someone who has.
Another common error is to blindly take the recommendation of a friend for a lawyer they have used. Many times friends or family have had a great experience with a lawyer, but unless it is the exact same legal issue, their recommendation may not apply. Recommendations are a great place to start but do your homework and don’t blindly choose an accident attorney on the recommendation from someone who used them to fight a speeding ticket.
The most important mistake that many of us make is to not do our homework before hiring an accident attorney. This is a common thread in all of the suggestions above, but be sure to ask questions, and do some research before hiring an attorney. Also be sure they are located in the Albany area. Your accident case is too important to trust it to someone who isn’t qualified to handle your accident case and there are plenty of accident lawyers who are qualified.