How To Choose A Car Accident Lawyer In Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City has nearly 20,000 auto accidents each year. That’s a lot of risk of injuries to victims who get hit by another car. If you’re the victim of an auto accident, you may want a car accident lawyer on your team to help you get the money you are owed for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

When you get a car accident lawyer in Oklahoma City, you want to feel confident that they can do the job without a lot of work on your part. After all, your job is to get better and back to living your life, not negotiating with insurance companies.

Finding the right lawyer means vetting out the good from the bad, and we’ve compiled this list of tips to help you do just that.

How To Find an Oklahoma City Car Accident Lawyer

With nearly 20,000 car accidents happening each year, you can bet there are a lot of car accident lawyers in Oklahoma City vying for new clients. To find the best for your situation, you want someone who you feel good about talking to and trust in their experience to handle your case. Don’t sign with the first lawyer you meet; interview several to make the best decision.

Consider these tips when searching for your car accident lawyer in Oklahoma City.

Start With Referrals

Ask people in your network for lawyer referrals. If a friend or family member had a good experience with someone, there is a good chance you will too. Ask your sources what they liked about working with the lawyer and if there were any negatives to consider. Try to get as big of a picture of that lawyer as you can before speaking with them.

If your search for a car accident lawyer in Oklahoma City by referral comes up short, try searching online. For example, search Google to find car accident lawyers near you, and weed through your options by looking at those that have very high ratings from a high number of reviews.

Check on Fees

Car accident lawyers should work on contingency fees, which means that they only get paid if you get a settlement. Their fees are a percentage of your settlement, so make sure they align with the industry standards of 33% to 40%. Lawyers who charge above this amount should have a strong history of getting their clients’ higher-than-average settlements that make up for the additional costs.

Do They Specialize?

A car accident lawyer is really a personal injury lawyer. Personal injury lawyers can be generalists working on accidents and workers’ comp cases, or they can specialize. While it is good to have a specialist, don’t discount a generalist who has a high percentage of their practice dealing with car accident cases. Either way, you want someone who has the experience to navigate the confusing insurance system and be able to negotiate with carriers quickly.

Prepare for Litigation

The reality is that only a handful of cases go to court, so few people actually need a litigator. You’d want to find someone who has litigation experience if your injuries were significant. This means that your injury is lingering or permanent, perhaps needing extensive hospitalization. Serious injuries lead to lost wages and pain and suffering issues that might need to be addressed by a court. If this sounds like you, ask the lawyer how many cases they’ve tried and their success rate.

Look for a Clean Office

This might not sound like a major issue, but it makes sense to have a lawyer with a clean office if you think about it. Clean suggests that the lawyer is professional and well organized. An organized lawyer is less likely to miss details about your case. A clean and organized office has client files stored in cabinets rather than piled on desks, and there is a system to make sure that phone messages aren’t lost. Remember that there are deadlines that insurance carriers must meet regarding the case, and if your attorney misses a call, you may lose some of your positioning in the case.

Why You Should Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Oklahoma City

Those with serious car accidents with significant injuries should hire a lawyer to handle the case. When there are injuries involved, victims don’t always know their rights, and the insurance carrier will try to settle for as little as possible. The lawyer is on your side to fight for your rights, whereas the insurance carrier is accountable to shareholders seeking profits. A good lawyer will help you navigate your claim to help you get the most out of it.

How Can the Oklahoma Bar Association Help?

While the Oklahoma Bar Association does not refer lawyers to consumers, it does have a search feature that allows you to search for members on its site. It could be a good place to compile a list of potential lawyers in your area.