An unexpected motorcycle accident and injury can completely turn a person’s world upside down. Thus, hiring an experienced Manchester personal injury lawyer is essential when you have been harmed due to another party’s negligence. It could mean the difference between achieving a positive outcome for your motorcycle accident case and being liable for damages caused by another person.
The process of obtaining fair compensation after a motorcycle accident can be complicated. A personal injury attorney can help ensure you receive rightful compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages.
We understand that after being injured, you may not have the time or energy to sort through dozens of personal injury law firms trying to find the right attorney. For this reason, we have compiled a step-by-step guide to help make the process of finding a personal injury lawyer as easy as possible for you.
Determine Whether You Need a Manchester Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
Before going through the work of finding a personal injury lawyer, you should first determine whether you actually need one. Some accidents may not require the help of a lawyer. However, in most situations, it is best to have an attorney on your side who will protect your legal rights and fight for fair compensation.
On average, over 80,000 people are injured in motorcycle accidents throughout the US every year. Unfortunately, most motorcycle accidents result in serious injuries to the rider.
If one or more of the following applies to your situation, you probably want to consider hiring an accident lawyer:
- The at-fault party denies liability
- You are being blamed for the accident
- There are multiple parties involved in the accident
- The insurance company denies your claim
- The insurer is trying to pressure you into accepting a low settlement offer
- You were seriously injured in the accident
- The claim involved a government entity
Keep in mind that the lawyers, insurance companies, and investigators working for the other party are not on your side. They do not have your best interests in mind. You can help level the playing field by hiring an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer so you have your own legal team on your side to fight for just and fair compensation.
Research Manchester Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
After determining that you do indeed require a motorcycle accident attorney, your next step will be to start researching lawyers in your area.
Consider the following suggestions for selecting a motorcycle accident lawyer near you.
Ask for referrals
We ask our family and friends for recommendations for everything from restaurants to dentists. So why not ask if anyone you know has a personal injury law firm that they recommend?
We tend to trust the opinions of those in our inner circle more than people that we don’t know. As past clients, your family and friends can relate their experiences working with a certain law firm and answer any questions you may have.
Look online
Nowadays, the most common way people find information is by doing online research. Typing “Manchester motorcycle accident lawyer” into Google or whatever search engine you prefer will provide a list of personal injury law firms in the area.
Read the reviews and testimonials for some of the motorcycle accident lawyers you are interested in hiring. This will give you an idea of what other accident victims thought of the law firm.
Choose a lawyer who handles your type of personal injury case
You want to choose a lawyer who has experience handling personal injury cases like yours. Not all personal injury lawyers have handled motorcycle accident cases before.
For example, a lawyer may have years of experience handling medical malpractice cases and be willing to take on your motorcycle case despite a lack of experience in that practice area. However, you have a better chance of success hiring a skilled lawyer who has experience with your case type.
So, after you’ve been hurt in a motorcycle accident, focus on finding a law firm with extensive experience and a history of success in handling motorcycle accident cases.
Check the law firm’s resources
A larger law firm will be more established and have greater access to resources that could be valuable to your case. However, you may not want to write off smaller law firms completely. There are pros and cons either way.
For example, a smaller law firm will likely have fewer clients and may be able to offer more personalized legal services. Both large and small law firms will likely have access to resources such as accident reconstruction experts and investigators to help prove fault and liability.
Most websites for personal injury law firms will have information about the age, experience, and resources of the firm. A website will usually also feature any legal awards with which the law firm has been honored. Typically, it is in your best interests to choose a firm with well-established reviews and resources.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With a Manchester Personal Injury Law Firm
While skill, knowledge, and experience are all important when choosing a lawyer to represent your case, you also want a motorcycle accident lawyer that you like and feel comfortable with.
The best way to judge an accident lawyer’s personality and character is to meet in person. Most personal injury law firms offer prospective clients a free case consultation. This allows you to meet with several lawyers from different firms before selecting one that is a good fit for you.
The following are some questions you may want to ask during your initial consultation:
- How long have you been practicing personal injury law?
- Do you belong to any professional organizations or bar associations?
- Have you handled motorcycle accident cases similar to this one? If so, what were the records for settlements and outcomes?
- Will you manage my case personally? If not, who will handle my case?
- How will you communicate with me throughout the legal process?
- How often will I receive case updates?
- Does the law firm have the staff and resources needed to take on my case?
- What information, evidence, or documents will you need from me?
- What do you think my chances of success will be?
- Do you think my case will go to trial?
- How long do you think my case will take to settle?
- What will your contingency fee be for taking on my case?
- Will you charge any legal fees if we lose the case?
It is important that you have a good working relationship with your motorcycle accident lawyer. If you are not comfortable with the lawyer during your initial consultation, you may want to continue looking for a different law firm.
Questions to Consider After Your Initial Consultation With a Manchester Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
After your first meeting with a personal injury lawyer, you do not have to decide whether you will hire him or her immediately. You can take some time to decide whether that attorney is the right fit for you and your situation.
Factors you may want to keep in mind after your first meeting include:
- Were you comfortable communicating with the lawyer?
- Did the lawyer thoroughly listen to you?
- Did the attorney answer your questions and address your concerns?
- Did you feel you could be open and honest about your case?
- Was the lawyer hurried or impatient?
- Do you feel that you can trust the lawyer?
The motorcycle accident attorney should spend time listening to you as you explain the details of the accident and your injuries. The lawyer should take time to answer your questions carefully and explain the legal process.
If you have issues or questions after the initial consultation, contact the lawyer to ask additional questions before signing a retainer agreement.
Ask the Motorcycle Accident Lawyer About Fees
Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee arrangement. This means that you can hire a lawyer without paying any upfront costs or fees.
Typically, if the lawyer works on contingency, you do not pay anything until the lawyer recovers compensation for you. The lawyer’s fee is a percentage of the amount you are awarded. Most contingency fees are between 30 and 40 percent.
Be sure to ask who pays for any costs incurred throughout the legal process. This could include filing fees, court reporter fees, and expert witness fees. Each lawyer handles this differently. Some will cover the costs throughout the case and obtain reimbursement from the proceeds of the settlement.
Also, clarify who will pay for costs if the personal injury attorney does not recover money for your motorcycle accident claim. Some lawyers have a policy ensuring that, unless your case is won, you do not have to pay them anything.
Retaining a Manchester Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
When you find a skilled motorcycle accident attorney you feel comfortable working with, you will need to schedule an appointment to sign a retainer agreement.
A retainer agreement is a legal contract between a personal injury lawyer and the client. The retainer agreement sets out the details of how the attorney-client relationship will work. You should thoroughly read the retainer contract, ask any questions you have, and understand what you are agreeing to before signing.
The Legal Process After Retaining a Motorcycle Accident Lawyer
After you retain the services of a Manchester motorcycle accident lawyer, he or she will immediately begin working on your case.
This will include the following steps:
- Conducting an investigation: Your accident lawyer will conduct a thorough investigation to establish fault and gather crucial evidence. This may include a copy of the police report, witness statements, copies of your medical records, video surveillance footage, photos of the accident scene, and more.
- Negotiating with the insurer: Most personal injury attorneys are skilled negotiators. They can handle all communication with the insurance company and work to negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf.
- Preparing for trial: If a settlement agreement cannot be reached through negotiations, your lawyer will prepare to file a lawsuit and take your case to trial. Your lawyer will present your case in court, argue on your behalf, and provide professional legal representation throughout the entire process.
Do Not Fight a Manchester Motorcycle Accident Claim Without a Skilled Lawyer
In New Hampshire, you have 3 years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. However, it is recommended to hire a motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as possible.
The sooner you retain a skilled motorcycle accident lawyer, the greater your odds of recovering a settlement that accurately reflects the damages you have sustained.
You may feel that you can negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company on your own. Keep in mind, though, how insurance companies often try to pressure victims into accepting an amount that is far less than their motorcycle accident claims are truly worth. A personal injury attorney will make sure that an insurance company’s greed will not get in your way of fair compensation.
Contact the Manchester Motorcycle Accident Lawyers at Kiley Law Group Today
Founder of Kiley Law Group, Tom Kiley, Sr., has been a motorcycle rider and enthusiast for many years, so you can count on his legal team’s motivation to protect your rights as a motorcycle accident victim.
Our legal team understands the injuries sustained by motorcycle accident victims are often severe and have a catastrophic effect on a person’s life. That’s why we are proud to offer our help and valuable guidance to you during this difficult time.
The Manchester personal injury lawyers at our firm are passionate about helping motorcycle riders receive compensation for their injuries and damages. We have a thorough understanding of New Hampshire motorcycle laws and will know what laws apply to your particular case.
We know that you have many different law firms to choose from in the Manchester area, but when you choose Kiley Law Group to represent you, you are sure to have a skilled and compassionate legal team on your side. We do everything we can to recover maximum compensation for our clients.
Schedule a free case review with our team members today. Call us 24/7 at (978) 965-3228 or complete the contact form here on our website.
