When you get into a car accident the last thing you want to do is have to stress about legal troubles while you’re recovering from an experience that can often be traumatizing. Unfortunately, many of our clients find that they don’t know the first thing about how to find a good Escondido car accident lawyer when they need one. Occasionally this can cause them to make the wrong decisions in choosing a lawyer, so we wanted to educate as many people as possible to avoid hiring the wrong person, or a lawyer that isn’t perfect for you and your needs. Here are a few tips to help you when you’re looking for an Escondido Car Accident lawyer so that you can ask the right questions and decide who is best for you.
Ask for their fees up front.
Most, if not all, reputable lawyers in California will be transparent about their fees from the start. It’s not uncommon for lawyers that work on car accident cases to offer to do the work for free until they win the case. This is called working pro bono, and encourages the lawyer to win the case on your behalf because it means they’ll get paid for their work. The American Bar Association requires lawyers in the United States to do at least 50 hours of pro bono work per year, but some can be more flexible with their clients than others.
Ask for reviews and testimonials.
Before you agree to work with anyone, and definitely before you sign any paperwork, ask your final few choices for reviews and testimonials. Many will be able to provide you with contact information to speak with previous clients about their experience. This will help you narrow down your final choice and decide which legal representative will be the best choice for you. Remember that not all lawyers practice the same kind of law, so you’ll need to find one that specializes in the case that you have.
Speak with them about your case.
Finally, our biggest advice is to speak with them in-depth about your case and the position you have within it. This will help your lawyer determine if they’re the perfect fit for your case, or refer you to a colleague that will be. Lawyers don’t want to take on clients that they cannot win cases for, so they should be transparent about whether they think they’re a good fit for you.