Hire The Right Car Accident Attorney In Bronx
Let’s face it- maneuvering through the traffic in Bronx, New York City, can be quite a challenge for both pedestrians and motorists. This is because of the many cars on the road, careless drivers and more. The number of cars on the road and much more. The latest data from the New York State Department of Health shows that there was a rise in the number of car accidents in Bronx as well as New York in general. The figures show a 9.2% surge in car accidents which stood at 60,685 as of 2015.
Bronx has been identified as one of the car accident-prone areas in the City and the New York City Department of Health points out that out of approximately 10,501 people who visit the ER, 864 will be hospitalized, and 48 will die from the car accidents in the Bronx region.
What’s more worrying is that a lot of these accidents are caused by inattentive or distracted drivers. Some of these drivers will either be busy talking or texting on phone, while others will be driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, whereas some drivers will be over speeding.
The sad part of it all is that these car accidents will not only affect the drivers but pedestrians, as well as the occupants of other vehicles. The question for the victims of these accidents is, what recourse do they have to seek the just compensation they deserve for any damages they might have suffered as a result of the accident, most especially if the accident was as a result of negligence?
Thankfully, hope exists for such people, as there are certain mechanisms that have been put in place to ensure that the victim or victims of such accidents are not left to suffer alone, but rather, can receive compensation that will see them through the trying period. This compensation comes in the form of an accident claim. The question then remains, how to go about the process.
So if you have been involved in an accident anywhere in Bronx, how do you go about finding the best car accident attorney bronx? Sadly, the process is as easy as it is also difficult. It is easy because all it takes is a quick search using any search engine like Google or Bring for a flood of choices to be presented to you. On the flip side, it is difficult because you will then be faced with the dilemma of which lawyer to choose from the many that has been presented to you.
Unfortunately, not every lawyer you come across on the web will be right for you and your personal injury case. Some will be more interested in making money off you rather than having your best interest at heart. They will therefore do whatever it takes to ensure they maximize their profits from you, using tactics like extending the duration of the case to ensure that their billable hours are extended as much as possible, and more.
Other lawyers, on the other hand, just won't have the necessary experience to take on your case. Or they might, but might be too swamped with so much else, that they prioritize some other case over yours, consequently ensuring that your case suffers.
The following are some specifics that you should look out for when shopping for an attorney to represent you in any injury related claim case.
- Does the attorney specialize in your type of personal injury?
Why would you want to hire a divorce, criminal, real estate or business lawyer to represent you in a personal injury case? While the norm these days is for an attorney to specialize in several fields of the law, it is important to try and verify exactly how much experience that lawyer has in the field of law that is relevant to your case.
It is also very important to be certain that the attorney in question is not only licensed and registered to handle such cases but has lots of hands-on experience. Reading up as much about the attorney, reaching out to past clients to get first hand information about their experience are just some of the things you should also be doing before you agree to sign him or her up.
- Is he/she willing and able to handle your case?
There is always a possibility that a lawyer will take up any case that is brought before them. But should this be so? The answer is a resounding no. As previously mentioned, the attorney may be overwhelmed with several other cases. So while they may be willing to take on your case, because let's be frank, they have bills to pay, the question however, is are really they able to take it on and handle the workload?
Are there family or health issues they are going through that might limit their ability to properly represent you? Are there any legal or professional matters that might be a hindrance to this lawyer taking up your case, which they might not want you to know about, just so they can sign the deal? These are all things that you need to investigate as best as you can
- Does he/she offer free consultation?
If there is any attorney that asks for a fee in order to get a consult from them, run away as fast as you can. The fact of the matter is, it is almost an industry standard for lawyers to offer a free initial consultation, and any lawyer who wants to get paid, only wants to rip you off, which is why you should run away as fast as you can.
As a matter of fact, you may even need to meet several times with an attorney you are considering signing up to take on your case, just so you can get a better sense of who he or she is and their personality. And at such, you may even need to ask for multiple no-cost meetings, as technically, the subsequent meetings might not count as a consultation.
- How does the lawyer operate?
When meeting with the potential attorney, you should ask how he/she operates. The last thing you want is making assumptions only to experience difficulties after the lawyer has taken up the case. A good attorney will give you a schedule but will also be willing to adjust the timetable to fit your schedule. If he is unwilling to adjust the schedule or seems a bit busy, then its best to look somewhere else.
- Have you properly read the contract i.e. retainer?
Before putting pen on paper, you should always read the content and fine print of the retainer agreement the lawyer will send to you to sign. This is very important since attorneys operate on contingency basis and more often than in a personal injury case, will only get paid if they win your case.
So, rather than quoting you an hourly pay, they will normally want a certain percentage of whatever payout you get from your settlement. However, there are other fees which may come into play over the duration of your case, such as sourcing or hiring an expert witness, filing of court papers (in case the case goes to trial,) hiring a private investigator, and more, all of which may be deducted from the final settlement award. So be sure to read everything thoroughly before you sign, just so you know what you are getting into before you commit.
Finding a good personal injury attorney can be challenging. Nevertheless, following the above guide in the search and selection of one should make things a tab bit easier. Additionally, by following these additional tips, you should be able to identify a good lawyer to help you file a claim and hopefully get you the compensation you deserve
5 Ways to Help You Negotiate Better Lawyer Fees
Are you searching for a lawyer for your small business? When hiring an attorney, one important factor you need to consider is their fees. The reason is it avoids instances of you having misunderstandings with them and possibly you receiving a “bill shock” of some sort by the time your legal issue is done.
What you want is a lawyer with the right amount experience in legal matters related to your specific type of business. However, you also want one whose fees are not going to cripple your business, one who communicates effectively and timely, and one who treats you with the respect you deserve.
Keep in mind that no lawyer with an adequate level of expertise in the legal field is cheap. The best way to find an attorney with more “business friendly” fees is by knowing what to do when hiring them. This article gives you 5 ways or things to consider when you are negotiating better attorney fees.
Cheap Is Not Always Good
If you are looking for a lawyer to draft a contract document for example, you need one that understands your type of business, the industry and environment you operate in and how things work there, the type of relationship you have with your suppliers, customers and employees and more. Because if that contract gets breached, chances are that you might possibly go back to the same lawyer to help instigate any legal action you might want to take against another party, and if the initial contract is not water tight, then your case might already be in trouble.
When it comes to lawyers who offer the cheapest fees, then can often tend to be most inexperienced, and consequently not offering you the best possible representation and advice. This is especially true for specific or complicated business problems. For instance, a lawyer who charges you fewer dollars per hour can end up costing you more in the long run. Those who charge more tend to have experience and offer better legal services.
Security Interests
Another way to negotiate for better lawyer fees is to avoid those attorneys that ask for guarantees. For example, your house, mortgage or deed of trust. You should also avoid those who ask you to pledge other assets as fees. That’s in the case you lose your case.
It shows that these lawyers are more interested in getting paid rather than helping you to win cases. Keep in mind that some lawyers earn their living by foreclosing houses and collecting hefty legal fees. The best way is to have the agreement verified by another attorney.
Contingency Fees
Some lawyers offer to handle your case on a contingency fee. That’s where they only get paid if you win the case. You may think it’s a good deal but it may not. In some cases, you have a real chance of winning.
An example is when you or your property gets injured or damaged by an insured person. If you agree on a contingency fee with your attorney, they may propose to get 35%-40% of the total pay-out. Some lawyers know with a high sense of certainty that they can win the case by making a few calls. Contingency fees are only ideal in hard to win cases, not easy to win.
Expensive Lawyers
In most cases, you know that an expensive lawyer has the posh office address, great view and a costly and thick carpet. You may think that this is an indication of an excellent law practice. The downside side is that you could end up paying for this image and not necessarily good attorney services.
You may be running a small business, so before you hire an attorney, consider how complex your problem is. The reason is you may not need a big corporate lawyer to draft you a simple business contract.
Standard Fees
Look out for those who tell you they charge standard fees. The reason is attorney fees are negotiable except where the law limits them. When negotiating for better fees, keep in mind that you should base them on their reputation, what other lawyers in New York charge and the type of business problem you have.
When comparing lawyer fees, check the law firm’s online client reviews. You can also ask for their experiences with at least ten previous customers and get in touch with these clients to hear their experiences. That lets you know whether it’s worth paying their fees.
Final Thoughts
Hiring a business litigation attorney for example, and the fee’s you are liable to pay, should be much easier and cheaper using the above tips. One point to remember is that it’s better to hire an attorney as early as possible. The reason is that waiting until disputes reach courts may leave you liable to pay huge fees.
Make sure you hire those that can advise you correctly whether your business needs to get organised in a corporate way or in a limited liability company way. They should also have the expertise to prepare the paperwork with reasonable fees.
