Stuff happens. Take, for example, your normal morning commute. You’re stopped at an intersection, waiting for the light to change; next thing you know, your car has been rear-ended. At the very least, your day has been turned upside down, and that’s assuming that no one in your car was injured. The fact that motor vehicle accidents are common doesn’t make them easy to deal with, especially without competent legal help.

A car accident is a personal injury matter. However, not every personal injury lawyer is qualified to handle motor vehicle accident cases, especially if it involved a serious injury. Although you might be tempted to hire a personal injury lawyer for any number of reasons, it may not be in your best interests to do so if that attorney doesn’t also have experience in dealing with the complexities that can (and often do) arise from a car crash.

When evaluating car accident law firms, find out if the firm has substantial experience in handling personal injury and car accident cases. The more cases a firm has successfully resolved, the more confident you can feel that the firm will adequately preserve your interests, protect your rights, and pursue the remedy appropriate to your case. Things to consider:

• Cumulative years of experience of MVA attorneys
• Number of cases handled
• Amount of experience dealing with cases similar to yours (cause of accident, type of injury suffered, etc.)
• Percentage of cases which resulted in financial recovery for the firm’s clients
• Number of cases settled
• Average settlement amount
• Number of cases that proceeded to trial
• Won/loss percentage of those cases
• Average recovery of damages at trial
• Percentage of cases appealed
  • Won/loss percentage of appeals
• Car accident law firms have staff and resources dedicated to each file
  • How much of the work will be performed by lawyer, paralegal, clerk, other staff?
• Contingency fee arrangement
  • Flat percentage or sliding scale depending on complexity of the case or whether trial becomes necessary?

No matter whether your MVA was minor or severe, you owe it to yourself and your loved ones to turn to one of the car accident law firms available for an assessment of the facts surrounding your case. Only an experienced motor vehicle accident attorney is qualified to provide the guidance necessary to ensure you do what’s best for you and your family.