Each year, there are more than 6 million accidents on the road. Many of those are standard car accidents, but others involve large semi-trucks and commercial drivers.

If you’ve gotten into an accident with a truck driver, hiring an attorney is always a good idea. They’ll be able to represent your case and help you deal with the truck driver’s insurance provider. Here is a list of the best truck accident attorney.

However, finding the right attorney for your needs after a truck accident can seem challenging. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you start your search.

1. You May Not Have a Case

Unfortunately, not every accident involving a truck driver will result in a case. If you’re injured as a result of your own negligence on the road, an attorney may not be able to represent you. After all, the accident was your fault.

However, if you got injured in an accident caused by a truck driver, you’ll want to contact an attorney to help you get the money you deserve. If needed, the attorney will be able to represent your case in court.

The only way to find out if you have a case is to speak with an attorney directly. If you think you need a truck accident attorney, start looking for ones in your area. Once you have a few names, schedule consultations with them and present your side of the story.

2. The Attorney’s Specialty Matters

Ultimately, every person hiring an attorney wants the most experienced person to represent their case. However, experience isn’t necessarily as important as an attorney’s specialty.

Hiring an experienced attorney that hasn’t represented truck accident victims before isn’t in your best interest. They won’t know what to look for or what points to argue on your behalf to help you get the biggest settlement.

Instead of looking solely at experience, make sure you pay attention to their main practice area or specialty. A less experienced attorney that specializes in truck accident cases may be able to represent you better than an experienced general practice attorney.

When you’re looking for an attorney, make sure you find out what they specialize in. If they don’t specialize in truck accidents, keep looking.

3. Always Schedule Consultations in Person

Once you find a few attorneys you’re interested in working with, take the time to schedule an in-person consultation. This is your opportunity to get to know the attorney and make sure you’re comfortable working with them.

Ask questions during your consultation and gauge their response. Use this as a time to discuss their fees, their experience, and whether they’ve represented cases like yours in the past.

Just remember that they should be asking you more questions than you ask them. After all, the consultation is how they determine if they can help you in the first place. If they’re not asking questions, you’ll want to keep looking.

You’ll want to find a truck accident attorney that you’re comfortable with. If at any point you feel uncomfortable, walk away. As long as you haven’t signed a contract with the attorney, you’re free to work with someone else.

4. Only Hire an Attorney That Charges on Contingency

Once you find an attorney you like, take the time to go over their fee structure. In most cases, attorneys representing truck accident victims will charge on contingency.

This means they take a portion of your settlement amount to cover their services instead of sending you an hourly bill. Even better, they won’t make any money if they don’t win your case.

If an accident attorney tries to charge you an hourly rate, keep looking. Hourly fees and upfront costs are too expensive when you’re already coping with car repairs and medical treatment expenses.

5. Reputable Attorneys Won’t Make Guarantees

Unfortunately, there’s no way for attorneys to predict the outcome of your case. At most, they can tell you if you have good chances of winning or reaching a fair settlement.

If an attorney makes promises or guarantees that they’ll win your case, consider hiring someone else. Inexperienced and disreputable attorneys will make promises to earn your business. It’s a sure-fire sign that all they’re interested in is the money, not in providing you with the best service possible.

6. You’ll Need Your Accident Claim Info

Your attorney will want to review as much documentation as they can. Once you agree to work with them, you’ll need to give them your accident claim information and everything they need to coordinate things with your insurance provider.

If you filed a police report, make sure to give them the information as well. This will help them better understand the case and the circumstances surrounding the crash.

Don’t panic if your insurance claim is pending or got denied outright. They still need access to that information to represent your case.

Remember, they won’t judge you for what happened. They just need to have as much information as possible to represent you.

7. Cases Often Settle Out of Court

While some truck crashes end up going to court, most end up getting settled outside of the courtroom. If your case does end up in court, it will take time for the judge to render a decision. This means it will take longer for you to get the money you need to cover car repairs, medical bills, and emotional distress.

If your attorney can settle without taking your case to court, that’s actually in your best interest.

It means you’ll get the money you deserve faster and won’t have to worry about making appearances in front of a judge when you have other more pressing things to do.

Finding a Truck Accident Attorney Is Simple

If you’ve gotten injured in a truck accident, finding an attorney as soon as possible is always a good idea. Keep these things in mind as you start your search.

Remember to choose an attorney you feel confident in working with and always look for a legal professional who specializes in these types of personal injury cases. This way, you’ll stand the best chance of winning your case and getting the money you deserve.

For more helpful tips on recovering after an accident, check out our latest posts.