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Lever & Ecker, PLLC February 13, 2020 General
If you have been seriously injured or tragically lost a loved one in a truck accident, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation. However, in order to recover this compensation, you will need to conclusively build a case for liability, accurately calculate your losses, and convince the at-fault party (or a judge or jury) that you deserve a full recovery. Each of these requires the advice of an experienced attorney.
But, how do you choose the right truck accident lawyer to represent you? There are thousands of lawyers across New York, and many of them handle truck accident claims. When choosing a lawyer, there are a number of factors to consider, and it is important that you take your time and make an informed decision.
Here are 10 factors to consider when choosing a lawyer to handle your New York truck accident claim:
In truck accident settlement negotiations and litigation, experience matters. Your attorneys will be going up against a team of insurance adjusters and defense lawyers, and they will need to be able to identify issues and present arguments quickly, strategically, and effectively. While experience does not necessarily make a lawyer good at his or her job, an experienced attorney is far more likely to have the knowledge and insights needed to represent you.
Specifically, you will want to choose a lawyer who has specific experience handling truck accident cases. As you may or may not know, there are many different areas of the law, and many lawyers (including many personal injury lawyers) never come close to touching a truck accident case. When you need to recover just compensation, you need a lawyer with a significant amount of relevant experience on your side.
In this same vein, you will also want to consider your attorney’s practice focus. Many general practitioners are very good at what they do, but they simply don’t have the background and resources needed to handle litigation against large trucking companies and truck manufacturers. A firm that focuses on large-scale personal injury and wrongful death claims will be your best choice, and you will need to make sure the firm has attorneys who are licensed to practice in the appropriate jurisdiction.
Firm size is important in truck accident cases, too. Successfully pursuing a truck accident case takes time – lots of time. It also requires resources. As a result, you will want to choose a firm that is big enough to handle your case, but isn’t so big that your case will get lost in the shuffle.
Firm location also matters. You will want to choose a law firm in your state, and one that has convenient access to the courts.
Experience is one thing. Results are another. When choosing a lawyer to handle your truck accident case, you will want to choose a lawyer who has a record of success in truck accident settlement negotiations and trials.
Lawyers can receive various types of awards and recognition, some of which are more prestigious than others. While a lack of awards doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of quality, it takes success and a strong reputation among clients and other lawyers to receive the legal industry’s top awards.
A successful client is a happy client. When researching law firms online, it is a good idea to look at their client reviews. If clients consistently complain about not being able to get in touch or not receiving the compensation they were expecting, this is not a good sign.
At various times during your case, you will want to get in touch with your attorney. If the firm’s attorneys and staff aren’t available 24/7, if it takes a long time to get a response, or if you are even finding it difficult to schedule your free initial consultation, this probably doesn’t bode well for what you can expect as a client.
Finally, as a client, you need to feel comfortable talking to your lawyer about all aspects of your case. If you schedule a free initial consultation and you don’t feel a connection or the rapport isn’t good, you are well within your rights to schedule another free consultation with another attorney.
At Lever & Ecker, PLLC, our attorneys have over 27 years of experience representing individuals and families in New York. If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a truck accident, we can help you collect the compensation you deserve. To find out why we believe we’re the right firm for you, call (914) 288-9191 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation today.
