Orlando is the fourth most populated city in Florida, with an estimated population of around 310,000 people. This could only mean one thing: the higher the population, the higher the number of vehicles on the road, increasing the risk of car accidents. To put this into perspective, there was an 82% increase in car accidents in the city between 2011 and 2015. The rising number of car accidents has also increased the demand for car accident lawyers in Orlando, FL.
But given that there are so many independent lawyers and established law firms in Orlando, how do you choose the right one for your particular case? Here are some essential tips to guide you through the entire process.
Experience comes first
You need a car accident attorney with more than enough experience to handle your specific case. This is because car accident cases vary, and the last thing you want is an attorney who’ll use your case as an experiment.
After narrowing down your search to a specific lawyer, ask them about their experience in this field. Also, find out whether they’ve handled similar cases in the past and their success rate.
Ask for references
A great Orlando car accident attorney will keep a list of references, preferably clients you can contact to learn more about the lawyer or law firm. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to contact all references. However, the availability of such references gives you the confidence to let that attorney handle your case.
Evaluate their communication
You need an attorney that communicates with you from the moment you contact them about the case to the end of the case. To establish whether the attorney or law firm values communication, check how often they respond to your calls, emails, or messages. Attorneys are usually busy; we get it, but they shouldn’t take more than 48 hours to respond when you contact them.
Find someone who understands
It’s frustrating to work with an attorney who doesn’t understand your case or needs. Luckily, you can prevent this by monitoring how that specific attorney responds to or explains certain elements of your case.
A great car accident attorney understands your medical needs and advises you on the best steps to take after the accident. This kind of understanding should be evident right from consultation to case evaluation.
Experience dealing with insurance companies
Insurance companies are difficult to deal with, whether it’s a car accident or any other matter. Their claims adjusters will always find ways to reduce your settlement; you need a lawyer who understands these tactics and how to counter them.
So how do you find out if a specific lawyer knows how to deal with insurance companies? It’s simple: ask them if they have any records showing that they’ve successfully dealt with insurance companies in the past and won.
The court factor
Insurance companies usually have lawyers to represent them just in case a particular claim heads to court. For this reason, it’s important that you work with an attorney who’s confident enough to take your case to court if an out-of-court settlement doesn’t work. Some inexperienced attorneys may opt to settle for lower settlements just to close the case, but that’s the last thing you want.
Remember, insurance companies will always come up with the lowest offer because they make profits from reducing settlements. They understand how Orlando traffic laws work and will manipulate them in their favor whenever the opportunity presents itself. That’s why you need a fierce lawyer who’s willing to fight for your rights, even if it means taking the case to court.
If you win the case, chances are you’ll receive a higher settlement than the initial offer from the insurance company. This explains why most insurance companies would rather opt for an out-of-court settlement to close the case. So if you hire an inexperienced car accident attorney, chances are they’ll accept a lowball offer, losing out thousands or even millions as a result.