In the aftermath of a serious car accident or other personal injury in San Jose, injured victims face a myriad of important questions.
- How will I pay my medical bills?
- How will I be compensated for missed work?
- If I need prolonged medical treatment for my injuries, how will I pay for it?
By hiring the best personal injury lawyer for your case, you’ll be able to focus on healing, while your legal advocates work to ensure that you’re fairly and justly compensated for your injuries. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident contact GJEL Accident Attorneys for a free case evaluation.
This article provides essential tips for choosing the best personal injury attorney for your case.
The accidents that do demand legal intervention are those accidents that are caused by the negligent or wrongful actions of another party, and that result in serious injuries for the injured person.
If you have been involved in an accident that falls into this category, you need a San Jose accident attorney who can advise you of your rights, how to file a claim or a lawsuit, and what steps to take along the way to preserve your right to damages.
Here are some tips for choosing the best personal injury lawyer for your case:
GJEL Accident Attorneys1625 The Alameda, Suite 511
San Jose, CA 95126
(408) 955-9000
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Start by searching online and read reviews
If you don’t know anyone who has used the services of a personal injury lawyer or car accident lawyer in the past, search for a San Jose personal injury attorney near you online. There are a variety of lawyer review sites that you can turn to for help, including Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings and Avvo. The State Bar of California also recommends using a local State Bar-certified lawyer referral service.
At GJEL Accident Attorneys we are proud of our positive online reviews. Our accident lawyers have earned a perfect 5 out of 5 start on Google. In addition, our founding injury attorney Andy Gillin has earned a perfect 10.0 Superb Rating on Avvo.
Click here to see more accolades and awards that our firm’s San Jose accident and injury lawyers have earned over our 45+ year history.
Ask for recommendations from people who have hired a Personal Injury Attorney in San Jose
One of the best ways to find an attorney who may be the right fit for your personal injury case is to ask your friends and family members if they have ever used a personal injury attorney in the past, and if so, whether or not they would recommend the attorney and why. You may also be able to get recommendations for a good lawyer through another attorney, a free legal aid agency, a client-attorney matching service, or neighbors or co-workers.
Get a free case review from a reputable injury accident attorney
When you perform your online search, you should be able to find a handful of lawyers that are located near you. Before you go any further, take some time to dig a little deeper and learn more about these attorneys. At this point in the process, you should look for:
- Any client reviews and testimonials;
- Practice areas;
- Whether or not the attorney offers a free consultation; and
- Whether or not any disciplinary actions have been taken against the attorney.
You can find out the latter by using the State Bar of California’s lawyer search service. When you search personal injury attorney Andrew R. Gillin of GJEL Accident Attorneys, for example, you can see that Mr. Gillin was admitted to the state bar in 1970, remains active today, and has no history of disciplinary or administrative actions.
Once you have narrowed it down to a couple of attorneys, it is time to schedule your free case consultation.
What to ask at your free personal injury case consultation
Your free case consultation is probably the most important part of choosing the top personal injury attorney for your case. This is because during your free consultation, you are given an opportunity to learn more about the attorney and their background, but also how you and the attorney interact, and what your relationship may look like moving forward.
Some important things to find out during your initial case review include:
- If the attorney has experience handling accident cases like yours. An attorney that has had a lot of success in dog accident claims may be who you want to work with if you have been bitten by a dog, but if you’ve been in a car crash, you want a San Jose car accident attorney. Make sure that the attorney has plenty of experience in the practice area that is relevant to you.
- Their history of success. Just having handled cases like yours in the past is not enough; you want to work with an accident attorney who has had success handling cases like yours. During your initial case consultation, don’t be shy about asking the attorney how many cases like yours they have won/lost.
- The attorney’s role in your case. You may assume that if the attorney is taking on your case, they will be handling all aspects of it. However, do not be too sure – many attorneys may ask clients to actively participate in the process, or may be so overburdened with cases that they ask others to manage your case on their behalf. You are hiring a lawyer – it should be an attorney who is working on your case.
- How they charge. One of the most important things to find out during the initial consultation phase is how the attorney will charge you. Good personal injury and auto accident attorneys in San Jose work on a contingency fee basis, which means that you will not be charged for their services unless your case is successful. If you do recover a settlement, then you will owe the attorney a percentage of your winnings (this percentage is agreed upon in advance).
Educate yourself on California personal injury and auto accident laws
To ensure your best chance at getting maximum compensation for your injuries, it’s essential to hire a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney. However, it’s also important that you educate yourself on the basics of personal injury law so that you can feel comfortable with the process from the start.
At GJEL Accident Attorneys we publish free information on auto accident and personal injury cases in California. We invite you to browse our most popular articles by clicking through the links below:
Important California Injury & Accident Information
Compare the credentials of the various San Jose personal injury lawyers
Perhaps you have met with a couple accident lawyers at this point in the process. The best thing to do now is to weigh your options, and compare your choices. Overall, you want an attorney who works on a contingency fee basis, has experience in your area of personal injury law, has been in business for an established amount of time, has trial experience, and has won more cases than they have lost.
Of course, you also want to work with an attorney who you like and who is easy to get along with. If you got a bad vibe from an attorney or didn’t feel comfortable with them, do not hire them moving forward.
The highest rated personal injury attorneys in San Jose are only a phone call away
At the law offices of GJEL Accident Attorneys, our experienced San Jose personal injury attorneys deeply care about our clients. We are skilled in multiple areas of personal injury law, including auto accidents, bicycle and pedestrian accidents, brain injuries, birth injuries, truck accidents, wrongful death cases, and more. We have been serving clients for more than 30 years, and have a success rate of over 99 percent.
GJEL Traffic Accident Attorney’s Have Recovered Millions for our Clients
Did you know that GJEL has recovered over 850 million dollars from clients involved in personal injury and auto accident cases?
To schedule a free consultation with our accident team today, please send us a message via the intake form on our website. You can also call our law office at your convenience: (408) 955-9000.
The Benefits of Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney Near You
When hiring a personal injury attorney you will probably have a lot of questions. There are some benefits of hiring a local San Jose based attorney that gives us an edge over other law firms in the area.
- We have recovered millions of dollars for clients in San Jose courts. We know the court systems and know what it takes to win.
- We can meet with you promptly. Meeting with an attorney where it’s convenient for you is just one of the benefits we offer. We will send someone out to your home, work or hospital to answer any questions you have.
- We know the area, which allows us to collect evidence fast. Since we’re based in the area we can quickly take on your case.
GJEL Specializes in Serious Injury & Wrongful Death Cases Only
GJEL has experience handling all types of personal injury cases in San Jose and Santa Clara County including, but not limited to:
GJEL Handles Car Accident Cases
Car accidents happen every day in San Jose. GJEL Has taken on hundreds of car accident cases and has had a 99% success rate achieving settlements and verdicts for our clients. Don’t settle for a low ball insurance offer out of the gate. If you’re injured, speak to an experienced attorney.
Truck Accident Cases
Truck accident cases are very complex cases that usually involve dealing with the insurance company and the company responsible for the accident. They can be very expensive to litigate as well due to the company and insurance companies resources. We have successfully won over 99% of the trucking accident cases we have taken on. Learn more about our experience with truck accident cases in San Jose here.
Motorcycle Accident Cases
Motorcycle accidents can also be complex cases and typically they require accident reconstruction experts. A motorcycle accident typically comes with a lot of serious injuries due to lack of protection the rider typically has on a motorcycle. We can help get you the proper medical treatment you need after a serious crash.
Bicycle Accidents
Bicycle accidents are common, especially in the Bay Area where citizens use bikes to commute. Typically we see cases where a car hits a bicyclist causing serious injuries. GJEL has helped hundreds of bicyclists get the compensation they deserve after a bicycle accident, whether you were hit by a car or injured due to gross negligence.
We Specialize in Wrongful Death Cases
According to the San Jose police department, there were 60 traffic-related fatalities in 2015 alone. Although the city is under the national fatality average at 5.4 deaths per 100,000 accidents, the number is still very high. Learn more about your firm on our San Jose Wrongful Death Lawyers page.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Wherever you are it’s considered a reasonable expectation that you should be safe to walk around. Sometimes business owners, apartment landlords, or city governments are negligent and create situations that cause people to slip and fall. These can be serious injuries with life-altering long-term effects. GJEL has participated in many slip and fall cases and gotten our clients the settlements they deserve.
Dog Bite Cases
Unfortunately every now and then a homeowner is negligent and allows a dog with known issues to bite someone. Whether it was on purpose or accident these matters need to be taken seriously. Dog bites can cause serious injuries and even be fatal. Typically the homeowner’s insurance policy covers medical bills and damages when you’re bitten by a dog. Learn more about our experience handling San Jose dog bite cases here.
Ridesharing Accidents from Uber & Lyft
Uber and Lyft drivers are regular drivers on the road with no additional certifications or training than a typical driver. Because of this, they are just as susceptible to accidents in the bay area. GJEL has successfully taken many of these cases to trial with a 99% success rate.
Medical Centers Near San Jose
If you have been injured in an accident it’s essential to seek prompt medical attention. Sometimes you may not know the extent of an injury including internal bleeding or brain damage until after the accident. Even if you feel fine you should get checked out by a doctor.
Here are hospital emergency rooms nearby.
Regional Medical Center
Santa Clara Valley Medical Center
Good Samaritan Hospital
O’Connor Hospital
Kaiser Permanente San Jose Hospital