Santa Maria Pedestrian Accident Lawyers

If you were on the bad side of a pedestrian accident, your life has probably changed in many ways. Serious injury is one of multiple issues you’re probably constantly mulling over, maybe even as you read this information. If you don’t know what to do next, it’s a good thing you’re reading this now. The decisions you make over the next few days will drastically affect the outcome of your case, assuming you’ve successfully filed a claim.

<b>Police reports and medical attention…</b>

Compliance regarding the police report process is very necessary. You need the police report and hospital records to indicate that you wasted no time in seeking medical attention. The chance of having internal injuries that you may not yet feel is ever present. Moreover, having sought medical attention right after the accident will show the judge or insurance company that you were truly as hurt as you claimed to be. Insurance companies will not treat you fairly unless you have a reputable attorney on your side. With that being said, one of the most important things you can do is make sure that all of the records show that you were hurt, and that you did not wait to seek help.

<b>Locating a trustworthy attorney…</b>

Compiling a list of possible attorneys does not have to be as overwhelming as you may think. For starters, filter out any attorneys that are not local. It’s not terrible to have an out of state law firm represent you, but an attorney that is local will have more accountability with you and will more than likely form a better, more personal relationship with you. Moreover, there are plenty of Santa Maria pedestrian accident lawyers to choose from. In reality, there’s really no reason, other than personal preferences or acquaintances, not to choose a local attorney.

Of the remaining attorneys that are local, filter out any attorneys who do not specialize in your specific type of case. It’s not worth the money to have a worker’s compensation attorney tackle your personal injury case. There are many different practices within the legal world so make sure you’ve narrowed it down to personal injury attorneys, and if possible, pedestrian accident personal injury attorneys.

<b>Interview your attorneys</b>

While this may seem strange, you need to approach the consultations as if you were interviewing a candidate for a job. You are, after all, paying this person to do a job for you. It’s essential that you are 100% satisfied with your final choice as you two will be a team throughout the case.

Make sure that you take a list of questions with you to every consultation. In addition to whatever questions you feel are relevant, be sure to include questions regarding the following information:

• Number of similar cases this particular attorney has handled. Of those, number of successful outcomes,

• Average length of time a case such as yours will last from start to finish,

• Number of attorneys from this specific law firm that will be working on your case. Be sure that you meet every attorney that will represent you before you make a final decision,

• Will the attorney accept a contingency fee pay structure? If not, move on to the next one as this is common practice and the next one more than likely will agree.

Don’t settle for anything less than exactly what you desire. This is, after all, a very important decision.