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Choosing the Right Slimy Sea Slug for Your Boating Accident

Posted January 25th, 2010
by BoatInsurance.org Staff (no comments)

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No one wants to have to deal with a lawyer. Unfortunately, if you’ve had a boating accident and your boating insurance just doesn’t seem to take care of everything, it might be time to talk to an attorney. Picking the right one can mean the difference between spinning your fins and getting the kind of settlement you need.

To make matters worse, maritime law is usually different than land law. You need an attorney who specializes in your kind of accident. Here are some steps you can take to make sure you get the right one:

Start with your friends and family. Word of mouth is still the most reliable means of advertisement anyways. Ask around at work and at family gatherings to see if anyone’s had a positive experience with a particular attorney.
Move to the yellow pages. If you can’t find a lawyer this way, go through the telephone listings and the local advertisements. This will give you a list of attorneys to go from. Keep in mind that anyone can put a listing in the phone book, so the size and design of the ad has nothing to do with how good a lawyer they really are. Alternatively, depending on where you live, you may be able to use the state bar association website to locate attorneys in your area.
Create a list of candidates and research them. You’ll need to contact each attorney and ask for references. Ask if they’ve dealt with your kind of case. Even your specific injuries matter, so ask if they have experience in that area. Find out whether they’ve dealt with specific boat insurance companies before. Also make sure they’re listed with the state bar association.
Interview your top two candidates. Most attorneys offer a free initial consultation. Make sure and go to both of them, even if the first is impressive. If you and the lawyer feel like you’re a good match, you should proceed. If neither works for you, go back to your list.
Don’t just settle for an “OK” lawyer. You want a lawyer who can really handle your case. If your case were that simple, you wouldn’t need an attorney in the first place. Hold out for the right attorney, even if it means going back to the start again and again.