Locate A Lawyer Without Stressing Yourself Out
Do you find yourself in need of a lawyer? These days, people sue and get sued for any number of reasons. Whether you have been wronged, or are being accused of being in the wrong, a good lawyer can go a long way towards making your life easier. Read the following article to get some great advice on how you can hire a good lawyer.
Make a budget when it comes to paying for legal fees. If you contact an attorney and they are above your price range, try to find someone else. While there is nothing wrong with going a little over your budget, you do not want to choose a lawyer that you will have trouble trying to pay.
It is important that the lawyer you hire is one who is experienced on the field you need help with. For instance, if you need a lawyer for a divorce, it would not be wise to hire a lawyer specializing in taxes. When you hire a lawyer familiar with the problem, you need help with, you have a better chance of positive results.
Go with a specialist when you really need one. If you are in a jam, and it's regarding something very specific a general practitioner may not have the know how to help you in the way that you deserve! Yes, a specialist may be more money, but your chances will be much better with the expertise that's brought to the table.
Look for people who have experienced similar problems and ask them which lawyers they used. Your friends and relatives might be helpful but do not follow their suggestions unless you need a lawyer for the same kind of issues. Use the different resources available in your community, such as support groups.
Make sure that you and your lawyer communicate well with one another. In fact, it is important to discuss in advance how often you will be talking and by what means. Will your lawyer email you weekly or biweekly? Does he prefer to call you with updates instead? The form of communication doesn't really matter as long as you and your lawyer stay in contact often.
Just because a person is the best in their field doesn't mean they should be hired by you. You do require their professional skills; however, you should keep in mind that you'll be working with them, too. Things will be easier if you can get along with your lawyer.
Find out up front how frequently you should be in tough with your lawyer. If you need them to get in touch with you quickly after you contact them, communicate that to them up front. If you face this problem with your current lawyer, find a new lawyer at your earliest convenience.
If a lawyer tries too hard to convince you that your case is easy to win or that you can make a fortune by filing a lawsuit, you should not hire them. A good lawyer should be honest and carefully assess your situation before encouraging you to file a lawsuit.
If a lawyer tells you your case is a slam dunk, run for the hills. Good lawyers would never make a claim like that, but scam artists sure would. There is nothing so cut and dry about a case that it can easily be seen as a win before the research is done.
As you go click here about researching and selecting a lawyer; consider soliciting the opinions and experiences of friends and family members that have encountered legal needs similar to yours. By consulting with someone you trust and who has gone through the same sort of situation in which you find yourself, you are far more likely to identify a legal practitioner who is suited to your specific needs and interpersonal style.
Remember that you are not the only client of your lawyer. While you may think you should control their time as your case is hugely important and you're paying their salary, think again. The lawyer has to divide their time between all of their clients, so give them a break.
Check your local bar association. Not all lawyers advertise their services. Local bar associations can be used find out which lawyers in your area may meet your needs. You can also search the national database at the American Bar Association website. Be aware that these directories are just that. They do not include qualifications or reviews, so it should be a starting place before conducting further research.
If you happen to unfortunately get in trouble with the law and need a criminal defense lawyer, make sure that you do your homework. You want a lawyer that has won most of their cases. Lawyers with a high number of wins means that they will work hard to clear your case.
It's vital that you find out what the payments and fees that you will need to pay, prior to hiring them. Lots of lawyers want retainers in order to simply review your matter. Many times, it is not put towards your meetings but is for the convenience of having the lawyer working for you whenever you need him.
Know how you will be charged ahead of time. Different lawyers have different methods for billing clients. Some have a flat rate, while others are based upon a percentage of potential court winnings. You should also take into account whether the percentage comes before or after court fees. Other expenses you may run into include expert witnesses, transportation, and office fees such as printing or copying.
Know beforehand what kind of lawyer you are in the market for. You do not want a family services lawyer when you need representation for an auto accident. Lawyers specialize in certain areas of the law, and you want one that is experienced in your type of case. Lawyers usually say what kind of cases they specialize in on their website.
Do not let the urgency of a situation discourage you from finding a lawyer that would best represent you. You should meet with at least three to four lawyers prior to making a decision to retain services. This will give you a few options, to ensure you hire the lawyer that is the best fit for you. Additionally, you will be able to weigh costs better.
As was mentioned earlier in this article, there are countless reasons as to why you may need a lawyer. Unfortunately, finding a dependable lawyer you can count on is much easier said than done. Make sure you use the tips given in the article above and you are sure to make your legal troubles much more tolerable.
Auto insurers play hardball in minor-crash claims
Profitable strategy
The cases, CNN found, illustrate a carefully developed strategy to make the victims look like they are trying to defraud the insurers.
But documents CNN obtained indicate profit, not fraud, is the reason companies decided to play hardball in small accidents.
For Allstate and State Farm, according to documents obtained by CNN, the strategy was developed in the mid-1990s with the assistance of consulting giant McKinsey & Co.
Looking for a way to boost profits, McKinsey focused on soft-tissue injuries incurred in minor crashes.
While the McKinsey documents -- numbered in the thousands -- are under seal in courts around the country, CNN saw several of them during a court hearing in Lexington, Kentucky.
Playing off Allstate's signature slogan, one document recommends the insurer put boxing gloves on its "good hands" for those who insist on going to court.
The strategy, according to former Allstate and State Farm employee Jim Mathis, relies on the three D's -- denying a claim, delaying settlement of the claim and defending against the claim in court.
"The profits are good, and as long as the community, the public allows this to occur, the insurance companies will get richer and people ... will not get a fair and reasonable settlement," Mathis said.
Both Allstate and State Farm declined requests for interviews.
In an e-mail, Allstate wrote it did not believe it would "have any real opportunity of being successful in getting you (CNN) to do a balanced report."
State Farm wrote: "We take customer service seriously and seek to pay what we owe, promptly, courteously and efficiently, and we handle each claim on its own merits."
The company also said, "Any attempt to generalize that State Farm adopted consultant recommendations as other insurers is just plain wrong."
A company spokesman sent an additional e-mail, saying that the company did work with McKinsey to improve claims handling but State Farm stopped using the McKinsey program in 1999.
Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute, told CNN insurers do not have a strategy of blanket denial of claims. He also said strategies to limit expenditures on minor-impact crashes are needed to fight fraud.
Hartwig specifically singled out lawyers who he claims make a living on car accident victims, saying those lawyers are upset because "the gravy train is over."