Even though bicycles are the safest, cheapest, and eco-friendliest modes of transportation available right now, bicyclists aren’t immune from accidents. Data shows that more than 130,000 bicyclists are injured in crashes taking place on American roads. These accidents are caused by drivers driving too fast, following or passing by a bicyclist dangerously, riding under the influence, or engaging in road rage incidents. A bicycle accident, however, makes you liable to seek compensation from the offending party.
You must hire a bicycle accident attorney to file charges against the guilty party. A well-experienced and qualified attorney will strengthen your case, collect the necessary evidence, and negotiate with the insurance people on your behalf. Here’s how you can find a reliable bicycle accident lawyer.
Check Online and Seek Recommendations
Begin your lawyer-hunting journey by talking to your friends and family. Seek recommendations from a neighbor or ask your work colleagues if they know any credible bicycle accident attorneys. These recommendations can provide valuable insights and firsthand experiences, helping you find the most suitable personal injury lawyer to pursue your case. Then you may search online to find a decent legal firm. Search for bicycle accident lawyers on Google with your city’s name.
So, if you live in Denver, Colorado, use this as a keyword when searching on Google!
Check the Lawyer’s Licensing
Is your bicycle accident lawyer even eligible to practice in your state? Your attorney needs to meet all licensing requirements in your state. Every state has its set of laws on licensing. Ensure your lawyer is licensed to practice personal injury law in your state. Contact a credible bicycle accident law firm to handle your case. Check with the state licensing board to ensure your potential attorney is legit. Work with a reliable, qualified bicycle accident attorney with all the necessary credentials.
Look for Reviews and Testimonials
Hire someone with positive reviews online and trustworthy testimonials. You should refer to social media platforms, such as Quora, Reddit, and Facebook, to ensure you work with a reliable personal injury lawyer. Similarly, there are many credible platforms, including BBB, Legal Match, and Lawyers.com, where you shall see how other people have rated bicycle accident lawyers.
Moreover, you should refer to a lawyer’s website to read testimonials from previous clients. Ask to speak with some of these clients about their experience working with that personal injury lawyer.
Schedule a Free Consultation
Consider different bicycle accident lawyers and schedule free initial consultations with all of them. You can ask them relevant questions and judge how they respond. You should leverage this opportunity to ask them about their experience, success rate, and approach to handling cases. Assess their ability to address your concerns while evaluating their responsiveness and professionalism.
Vising your potential bicycle accident lawyer is also a great opportunity to check out their offices and look at the legal workforce at their disposal. It will help you narrow down your list.
Ask them Relevant Questions
Come up with a few questions relevant to your case. For instance, you can ask them:
- How long have you been practicing personal injury law?
- Do you specialize in handling bicycle accident lawsuits?
- Am I even eligible to file for compensation after the crash?
- Have you ever come across a case in the past similar to mine?
- Will you be taking care of my case, or someone else from your firm?
- How do I see progress in my case or receive updates from your law firm?
- What kind of economic, non-economic, and/or punitive damages will I get?
Check their Available Resources
Work with a resourceful bicycle attorney lawyer who can help strengthen your case. Choosing a well-respected person with connections to your state’s judicial system will tilt this case in your favor, helping you get the compensation you deserve. Working with unknowns, however, decreases your chances of success. So, you should ask the bicycle accident attorney what additional services and resources they can offer you. For instance, they may help you gather the necessary evidence, such as:
- Police reports
- Witness testimonies
- Vehicular “black box” data
- Photographs of the crash scene
- Video surveillance from nearby locations
Look at the Lawyer’s Success Rate
Data shows 848 bicycle crashes in the latest reporting year. Journalists have indicated bicyclists in cities like Denver are more likely to be seriously injured in crashes. It means you should ask lawyers about their success rate in winning appropriate compensation for their clients.
You can look at different bicycle accident attorneys’ track records and compare their success rates. See how much compensation they have managed to win for their clients. If a lawyer has managed to win more than the average amount, that’s the ideal person to handle this case.
Ask if they Have a Contingency Contract
Many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, i.e., they are paid if you’re compensated. If you get some sort of reimbursement for your injuries, the bicycle accident lawyer will take some portion of your monetary compensation as their fee. Data shows that just 4% to 5% of cases go to trial; most lawsuits are simply resolved in out-of-the-court settlements.
If you don’t get compensated, your lawyer, too, goes empty-handed.
Assess their Communication Skills
Finally, check your bicycle accident lawyer’s personality and character. No matter how experienced or qualified a lawyer is, they won’t be any help to you if they don’t communicate effectively. Some well-known legal minds with a successful track record don’t have enough time to tend to a bicycle accident lawsuit. So, they often dump this case on their underlings and deprive you of their expertise.
That’s why you must ensure the lawyer is genuinely interested in your case and wants to pursue it passionately. Check the lawyer’s ability to listen, understand your situation, and explain complicated legal concepts clearly.
Conclusion
This blog explains a few tips to remember when you’re busy lawyer-hunting after a bicycle accident. Follow the suggestions mentioned above and find a suitable attorney to represent you. Ensure you work with a qualified, well-reviewed, and adequately-experienced bicycle accident lawyer. That’s how you can seek enough compensation to repair your bicycle and afford your post-accident rehabilitation.