There are a few places you should avoid looking for lawyers. Don't go with TV ads. These ads are usually posted by lawyer referral services, and not actually law firms. If the ad is paid for by an actual law firm, your case may be referred out to another firm. Most likely, it will not get the proper attention it deserves. Also, don't go with the person with the biggest ad in the phone book. Ad size has nothing to do with ethics and qualification. The bottom line is that you should hire an attorney based on your consultation with him, and how comfortable you feel.
QUESTION 4. You must know what documents and information are required to file your claim. Your lawyer should give you with a packet that details all the documentation she/he will need to file your case properly. The sooner you gather all of the documents needed the quicker your case will be filed, and your creditors will stop harassing you day and night.
One of the first things you want to ask yourself is who do you know that has retained an attorney for a similar reason that you want to. Your best source of advice and information can come from others in your community that will be more than willing to tell you how they feel about the legal advice and counsel they received. Ask around. You don't have to tell them any of the details of your case, nor do you have to know any of the details of theirs. But you can quickly get a feel for the service they received and whether or not they were satisfied with the work that was done for them.
Before undertaking the bankruptcy process, ensure you have made the correct decision. Debt advisors are one of the many other avenues you can consider. If you file for how to file bankruptcy, a mark is permanently left on your credit. Therefore, before you do this, you should utilize all the other options that you have.
If you're considering bankruptcy your credit may have already taken a pretty big hit; however, you can recover from anything in time. If you get your finances in order and under control you can restore your credit score. The moment you file for bankruptcy your credit score will plummet 200-250 points and the black mark will remain upon your report for 7-10 years, affecting every future transaction. It is much wiser to avoid bankruptcy and attempt to restore your current credit score.
Your attorney and his or her staff are now acting as both a "collection facility", gathering records and bills from medical care providers, and continuing as a shield, keeping the insurance company representatives away from you. I often have clients call me and ask me "how's my case going"? If case liability is not an issue, that is, if it's clear that the collision was "the other guy's" fault, and his/her insurance company has "accepted" responsibility, then my answer to the question is simply "fine, how are you feeling?" I say this because at that point, assuming we've "secured" the liability issue, all that remains is waiting for the client to get better.
If you've committed yourself to filing bankruptcy, find out all you can about the federal code and the laws in your state. The future of your financial health is on the line, so educating yourself the best you can, and proactively working with your lawyer through the process, can give you better protection for your financial future, and help bring about a more positive outcome.
