Being involved in an accident is already traumatic enough. Naturally, when this accident was in no way your fault, but it resulted in injuries, dealing with the aftermath can lead to stress. Not only are victims of accidents challenged by physical disabilities, but they’re also inundated with obstacles like their emotional well-being and financial status. Though there are many steps that must be taken towards resolving the matter, one of the first things you should do is seek legal counsel.

1. Determine What Type of Attorney You Need

Though you’ve heard of the term personal injury attorney, this is essentially an umbrella term used to describe several types of attorneys specializing in different areas of law. Ideally, you want to hire a law firm like Bachus & Schanker LLC, that has attorneys who specialize in areas of personal injury, including motorcycle accidents, auto accidents, slip and falls, hit and runs, as well as those who specialize in specific medical injuries. The reason you should consider the type of attorney you choose is because you want someone who has education and experience in the area of law you’ll need help with.

2. Ask for Referrals

Rather than blindly selecting an attorney, the best way to find a personal injury lawyer is to ask those you know for referrals. You can ask coworkers, family members, and friends about legal professionals they may have seen in the past. If not, you can also ask your doctor or other medical specialists that you visit for treatment as they may have a network of attorneys they can recommend.

3. Know Key Qualities

Whether you’re able to get a referral from someone you know or not, knowing qualities of a good attorney can help you narrow down your search. Some key qualities to look for include:

• Accessibility
• Competency
• Honest
• Experienced (education, legal credentials, and professional experience)
• Thorough
• Proactive and attentive to your needs

4. Know the Red Flags

Are there things you should steer clear of as you look for the right legal expert? In fact, there are. There are red flags or warning signs that will tell you if an attorney is right for you.

• Too aggressive
• Non-responsiveness
• Overpromising
• Unrealistic
• Lack of experience
• Too many clients

5. Schedule a Consultation

You should never hire an attorney without first having a consultation. Consultations provide you with the opportunity to question the attorney on their skills, abilities, and the likelihood of success with your case. You should treat the consultation like an interview and be sure to ask questions. Remember, personal injury cases are time sensitive and complicated and you want to make sure that you’ve hired a professional who can handle the workload. Some questions you might ask include:

• Who will be working on my case?
• How long will the case take?
• What payment options do you offer?
• What are your specialties?
• Should there be a settlement, how long will it take to receive those funds?
• What methods will be used to settle my case?

6. Review All Paperwork

Once you’ve chosen an attorney to hire you’ll be required to sign several documents. It is imperative that you read and understand what you’re signing. As most forms are riddled with legal jargon, you should most certainly ask for further explanations on anything you don’t understand.

Your injuries are only part of the equation to recovering after being involved in an accident. After experiencing a traumatic event such as this, it can take time for life to return to “normal”. As you work on healing physically and emotionally, you want a personal injury attorney on your side that is going to work hard to help you achieve the best results possible.