Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

An accident attorney can be hired if you were involved in an accident in which you sustained injuries as a result of another person's negligence. You may not need an attorney, though, if you did not suffer major injuries and you could most likely negotiate with the insurance company yourself.
If you have been involved in a serious accident, and someone else's negligence caused the accident, you should consider hiring an accident attorney. If you have suffered only minor injuries, or property damage and no injuries, you should be able to reach a settlement with the insurance company on your own.

However, when serious injuries are involved, an accident attorney will be better able to negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf or take action in a formal court of law. Your attorney will help you pursue compensation for current and future medical expenses, damage to your vehicle, pain and suffering, time missed from work and other expenses related your injuries.

Finding the Right Accident Attorney for Your Case

When searching for an accident attorney, you may have noticed TV commercials, Yellow Pages or billboards, all of which are full of lawyer advertisements with very little information. The same basic point of these can be found in all advertisements: Pick Me! Base your decision for who to hire on multiple factors, instead of just on the lawyer's advertising.

There are a few things you should know about lawyer advertising:


-an attorney can advertise for accident cases even if they haven't handled personal injury cases
-the Yellow Pages and TV commercials don't verify the information in attorney ads
-the lawyer you see on TV might not be the lawyer who handles your case (your case could go to an associate or be referred to another firm)
-full-page ads in the Yellow Pages and frequent TV commercials are no indication of an attorney's success
-some lawyers may have their assistants or paralegals do all the work on your case
-and don't be swayed by ads that make a lawyer appear aggressive (appearances can be deceiving).


Accident cases can be very complex. The accident attorney you hire should have extensive experience handling personal injury cases. Furthermore, you want an attorney focused on personal injury, not someone who practices in 17 different areas.

Tips for Finding an Accident Attorney

After an accident, 2 organizations can help you search for an attorney: the South Carolina Association of Justice and the American Association of Justice, both of which are networking hot spots for trial lawyers.

These other tips are helpful when deciding what accident lawyer you should hire:

-if you know an attorney, ask for a referral
-check with the South Carolina Bar Association for a referral (be advised lawyers pay a fee to be listed under certain specialties);
-ask plenty of questions to make sure the accident attorney has a thorough understanding of your injury
-be wary of an attorney who rushes you to sign a fee agreement
-stay clear of any attorney who promises you a winning settlement
-and if an accident attorney solicits your business after an accident, be careful (beware of "runners," who are people who listen to law enforcement scanners and rush to hospital rooms or accident scenes to get victims to sign a contract with an attorney).

You also want to make sure the accident attorney you hire is in good standing in the legal community and up to date on laws related to personal injuries.

Communicating with Your Accident Attorney

Because you and your accident attorney will be working closely together, you need to pick someone with whom you feel comfortable. Ask how you'll be informed as your case progresses, who you can call if you have questions, and who will do the actual work on your case.

If paralegals or legal assistants will be assigned to help with your case, ask if your accident attorney will manage your case. Every piece of documentation about your case should be reviewed by your accident attorney, so that you are best represented in court.

While you recover from your injuries after an accident, you'll need a lawyer you trust who will protect your legal rights while you focus on recuperating.


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Shelly Leeke is a personal injury attorney in the Charleston, South Carolina area. She offers free reports and information for accident victims and their families. If you or someone you know has been affected by a wrongful death, visit the Shelly Leeke Law Firm website for more information.