Maine accident lawyers help folks injured in accidents by no fault of their own. If you have been injured and are searching for a Maine accident lawyer, you will want to look for an attorney or law firm that practices personal injury law. A general search for a Maine accident lawyer on the web will instantly list dozens, if not hundreds, of personal injury lawyers.
Unfortunately, the search results will not tell you how effective or successful that accident lawyer’s practice is here in Maine or anywhere.
Though it’s a start, it will not help you find the best personal injury lawyer in Maine who has the skills to help you get the just compensation you deserve for your injury. For that, there are many factors to consider when searching for a Maine accident lawyer, and here are four important ones to look for:
Factors When Searching for Maine Accident Lawyers
Experience
As with any profession—carpenter, surgeon, pilot, or plumber—experience counts. In the practice of law, an experienced accident lawyer can make all the difference in successfully pursuing your personal injury claim. Look for a personal injury lawyer or law firm with years of experience in personal injury and accident law, someone with sufficient background, knowledge, and skills to assist and represent you in your claim. You will want an accident lawyer that has successfully negotiated settlements with the team of attorneys the insurance companies have sent his or her way over the years. When searching for a personal injury lawyer to represent you, look for one with the experience to lobby for your rights successfully.
Expertise
In your search for a Maine accident lawyer, be sure that the lawyer’s or law firm’s area of expertise matches your needs. In other words, you will want to find out what that law firm’s specialty or specialties are and ensure they align with your type of injury. Remember that some law firms may only represent worker’s compensation claims while others only represent medical malpractice, intellectual property, or car accidents. Therefore, it’s important to narrow your search to a law firm whose area of expertise handles your type of injury. That lawyer and his or her law firm must have the experience and knowledge, along with a thorough familiarity and understanding of your type of claim to ensure you get the compensation you deserve when negotiating with insurance companies.
Successful Track Record
This relates as much to experience as it does expertise and why it’s important not to hire just any lawyer. As part of your search, look into the results of the law firm’s past settlements or verdicts. Does that accident lawyer or firm have a consistent track record of ensuring their clients receive the financial compensation they deserve for their injuries? A past record of success means that your accident lawyer has the negotiation skills to deal effectively with insurance companies or, if necessary, successfully argue your case in a court of law.
Free Initial Consultation
Your first meeting with a Maine accident lawyer should be free. There should be no fees or charges of any kind. You should avoid any lawyer or law firm that charges for that initial consultation. Why? If your search has brought you to a law firm with the experience and expertise in representing clients with injuries similar to your own, then you have found the law offices of a personal injury attorney. Lawyers that practice personal injury law do so on a contingency fee-based arrangement with their clients and will receive a percentage of the compensation awarded instead of charging you an hourly rate.
That initial consultation is free because it allows you, the prospective client, to explain the nature of your accident and for the lawyer to determine whether or not the pursuit of your claim has legal merit. Your prospective lawyer will listen carefully to what you have to say, ask questions to understand the basic facts of your case and offer a thoughtful response. It allows both parties to reach a mutually acceptable agreement free of charges or fees.
Contact Maine’s Injury Lawyers
Accidents don’t just happen; they happen because of someone’s negligence or neglect. If you are the victim of an injury caused by someone else’s negligence, to ensure that you receive the just compensation you deserve in pursuing a personal injury claim, we invite you to sit down for a free consultation with one of Maine’s preeminent accident lawyers at the law firm of Hardy Wolf & Downing. We offer decades of experience, expertise, and success in helping people across Maine get the settlement they are entitled to.