13 Tips for Hiring a Truck Accident Attorney in Phoenix, AZ

107,000 large trucks were involved in injury accidents in 2020. About 4,800 large trucks had accidents with a fatality. In fact, of all vehicles involved in fatal crashes, 9% were large trucks.

Aside from the fatalities, the number of injuries can lead to permanently debilitating physical and mental conditions.

Insurance companies are quick to offer settlement amounts for truck accident cases that barely cover your medical expenses.

However, getting an effective and aggressive truck accident attorney on your side could get you the compensation and justice you deserve following your accident. 

Your attorney will take charge of every call and negotiation you have with the other party’s attorney to best represent your case. From seeking evidence to negotiating with liable parties or insurance companies, your lawyer can handle all aspects of your truck accident case.

Are you wondering how to find the best attorney for your truck accident case? Read on for what you should consider before hiring your truck accident lawyer. 

1. Areas of Practice

There are over 1,338,678 licensed and active attorneys in the United States. Much like being a doctor, where there are specialty areas, you want to find an attorney who knows how to handle truck accidents. 

You’ll want to look for an attorney who practices personal injury law. But don’t settle for just a personal injury attorney, as there are thousands of them. 

You want to have an attorney who specializes in knowing the unique challenges of handling a truck accident case. 

When you meet with your attorney, ask if they have handled truck accident cases recently. Ask them to discuss how a truck accident case is unique from other personal injury cases. 

2. Background

When researching a truck accident lawyer, look for information on their background. This is also a good place to start when you meet with them in person. 

You want to know where they went to law school and how long they’ve been practicing law. You want to discuss how long they’ve been practicing personal injury cases. 

3. Experience  

Truck accidents are more challenging than other personal injury cases. In a truck accident, there are complex liability regulations and insurance policies, and often, there are many potential sources of liability for the accident itself. 

So, as you consider hiring a truck accident lawyer, you want one with truck accident experience, not just personal injury law experience. 

Ask the attorney to discuss some truck accident cases they’ve handled and how they’ve progressed. Of course, they can’t give you specifics. But this will give you a good idea about their experience, how to expect your case to proceed, and their level of success in handling these types of cases. 

4. Reputation

Reputation might be a little challenging to figure out as you do your research on truck accident attorneys, but it’s essential. 

Take the time to get online and do a search for a Phoenix truck accident attorney. Look at the results, and be sure to read the reviews. It can be helpful to learn about the experiences others have had with an attorney before you decide which direction to go. 

Remember, though, that it can be challenging to please every person. When you read reviews, it always makes sense to look at trends. 

5. Referrals

Hopefully, you don’t know anyone else who has been in a truck accident. Yet, it can be helpful to ask people you know if they’ve had any experiences with personal injury lawyers. 

Getting a referral from someone you know can help you to learn firsthand about what it’s like to work with that attorney. 

If you don’t know anyone, then be sure to go online and read the comments and reviews made by other clients of the lawyer. Look for trends in the comments. This can give you a picture of what your experience might be like if you work with a particular truck accident attorney.

6. Resources to Fight Big Insurance  

Many people don’t consider the resources available at the firm when they’re hiring a law firm, which is important in a truck accident case. 

Truck accidents often involve many parties. This can include anything from the driver, the trucking company, the truck manufacturer, the product distributor, or the company paying for the goods. 

With so many potential parties involved in liability, truck accident attorneys’ work is more complex. It also means more insurance companies are involved, and more complex negotiations are needed as the case is discussed. 

You want to hire a truck accident lawyer who’s prepared with the resources to see your case through to the end. 

7. Caseload

It’s unrealistic to expect to be the only client an attorney is working on. Having said that, you want to discuss caseloads with your Phoenix truck accident attorney. 

While you need to know the attorney will be working on multiple cases, you want to be sure they don’t have such a heavy caseload that they can’t give your case the attention it deserves. 

A truck accident case can be time intensive. You want to be sure they have the needed time to handle your case. 

In that same spirit, you want to ask the attorney when you meet with them about who will be handling your case. You don’t want to hire an attorney who’s so busy that they hand your case off to someone in the firm who’s less experienced. 

8. Comfort

Of course, you want an attorney who knows how to tackle your case, is effective at case management, and knows the law. 

It’s also important that you feel comfortable with your attorney. Many people feel intimidated walking into a lawyer’s office. But talking with your attorney should put you at ease. 

Consider how your attorney interacts with you and others. You want an attorney who will straightforwardly answer your questions. 

You also want an attorney who will listen to you as a client instead of always being the one talking. 

9. Fees 

In most personal injury cases, truck accidents included, an attorney will take on a contingency basis. This means you don’t pay them upfront. You also don’t pay the hourly rate that other types of attorneys might charge. 

Instead, once the case is closed, they take a percentage of what you receive. This can be a good incentive for the attorney to work hard to get you the best possible outcome for your case. 

It also makes the attorney realistic about when it’s the right time to go to trial and when it’s best to negotiate and settle a case. 

Ask that you have a contract where any costs are spelled out, and the contingency fee is in writing. 

10. Do the Work to Find the Best Phoenix Truck Accident Attorney

Recovering from a terrible accident is taxing both physically and emotionally. It’s not uncommon for accident victims to just want it all to be done and to be behind them. 

This makes some victims rush decisions regarding their cases. 

Choosing the right attorney might require some research and time, but it’s important to take the time to get the best attorney for you and your case. 

11. Communication Style

Once you’ve searched online and spent time on different lawyers’ websites, you’ll want to meet with them in person. 

Most personal injury attorneys will offer a free in-person consultation to discuss your case. 

This is when it’s important to pay attention to the attorney’s communication style. 

Do they want to know more about your case? Do they appear interested and inquisitive about the events involved in your case? Are they willing to listen and answer your questions?

You want an attorney who will work to communicate with you and not deliver a preplanned speech about their services. 

12. Willing to Go to Trial

Many personal injury cases, truck accidents included, don’t ever go to trial. The truck accident lawyer puts together your case and starts negotiating with the involved parties, including the insurance companies. 

In fact, some personal injury lawyers never go to trial. They take a case and then settle. 

Your case may never go to trial, either. However, if necessary, you want an attorney who’s prepared to go to trial if it’s necessary to get you the compensation you deserve.

13. Trust Your Instinct

After doing your due diligence and research, it’s time to choose an attorney. Think about everything you’ve learned through the process. 

Then you need to follow your gut instincts about who you trust, who instills confidence, and who makes you feel comfortable.

Get Help From the Best Truck Accident Attorney

While there might be many truck accident lawyers to choose from, you want one with the needed experience and skills to get you the compensation and justice you deserve. 

If you need an experienced truck accident attorney, let us help you. Contact us today at our Phoenix office, so we can get to work helping you.