In 2017, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that motorcyclists were 27 times more likely to die from car crashes, than motorists. Further to this, approximately 5000 motorcyclists succumbed to motorcycle crashes in the same year. Today, some common causes of motorcycle accidents include:
- Motorcycle lane splitting — This happens often and occurs when a motorcycle rider drives in two lanes, often in slow-moving traffic. The limited space that the cyclist has to maneuver, paired with the proximity to the stalled vehicles within the lanes makes this a common cause of motorcycle accidents.
- Collisions — This can either be between a cyclist and a fixed object, or a cyclist and a moving vehicle. Head-on collisions account for about 56% of deaths caused by motorcycle accidents as they are more fatal to motorcyclists than then they are to motorists.
- Speeding and alcohol use — In most cases, the only protection that cyclists have is their helmet. Consequently, high speed or alcohol-induced crashes hardly ever protect the motorcycle rider. In most cases, this results in severe injury to the biker.
According to Daniel Kim, a motorcycle accident lawyer in California, most motorcycle accident victims injured by negligent drivers suffer and lose out on compensation that they perhaps did not know was owed to them. Knowing this, if you have recently been in a motorcycle crash or have suffered a motorcycle injury, the California motorcycle accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Daniel Kim can help.
Finding a lawyer is no small task. More specifically, finding a credible personal injury can be all the more difficult. However, as with all paid services, it’s best that you do your research so that you can make an informed decision on your legal counsel. The best way to begin this process is by asking for referrals from those closest to you, or the people you trust.
Once you have your pool of prospective personal injury attorneys narrowed down, next comes the interview phase. If you do not know what questions to ask as you interview prospective counsel, we have you covered. Keep reading as we take you through some simple things to look out for in your considered counsel.
1. Case Success Rate
Be sure to ask your prospective lawyer about their years of experience, case success rate, as well as referrals from previous clients. This will ensure that you pick a lawyer with your best interests, as well as one who is guaranteed to get you a fair settlement.
2. Legal Fees
Most lawyers offer a free consultation. They may not offer you any legal advice at this time, but it can be a great way to learn about their legal fees. Talking about money can sometimes feel like an uncomfortable topic, but when seeking the services of a personal injury attorney, this is a pertinent question. For instance, find out if they charge by the hour, and if yes, can you afford the fee? Also, ask about a contingency fee. If they do charge a contingency fee, this means that you will only pay your attorney after a favorable result, and in this case, their fee will come from a percentage of your financial compensation.
3. Case Load and Client Communication
It is important to know how many cases your prospective lawyer handles at a time, to establish the amount of time and care that they will give your case. Additionally, if they do take on your case, you need to know who your point person will be. For instance, will the lawyer be handling your case directly or will they assign your case to a paralegal or to another legal team within the law firm? You also need to know how often they communicate, can they be trusted to respond to emails or calls on time?
4. Area of Expertise
Personal injury law is a broad practice area. Additionally, the aim of a personal injury lawsuit is to find the fault party, prove damages, and win fair compensation. Because of this, your motorcycle accident lawyer needs to be well versed in the law as it pertains to personal injury claims to guarantee you the best possible chance of winning your claim.
There will always be a need for lawyers because just like in life, accidents are inevitable. If you prefer to represent yourself, the law lends itself to people of all ages even if you’re only just now considering going to law school at 30. Lawyers are very localized, so you may want to pick a legal jurisdiction to practice from. You don’t have to practice in your current state and to expound on this, take the example of the lawyer, Courtney Sarofim. Even though she has been a Texas native for a chunk of her life, she does not practice in the Texas area but is still a successful litigator.
