A driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge can create lifelong consequences. Once proven guilty, you can be sent to jail and pay fines which can reach up to $2,000. Aside from having these legal responsibilities, your driver’s license can be suspended, and your insurance company might even cancel your policy. Fortunately, you can steer away from this direction by working with the best DWI lawyer in Albany, New York, or other parts of the globe.
You’ll never run out of options when it comes to DWI lawyers. But if you want to hire a DWI lawyer who can help manage your legal responsibilities and not make it worse in any way, pay attention to these tips:
- Check Several Online Services
Finding the best DWI lawyer can now be done in the comfort of your home. Usually, you just need to type in keywords and your location online, and wait until the Worldwide Web feeds you with millions of suggestions. You can even get the name of a DWI lawyer and check their website here.
If you’re planning to utilize the internet in finding the best DWI lawyer, don’t forget to look into different platforms. Aside from the website, check different online forums and social media groups, as well. The more online resources you have, the easier it’ll be for you to determine the credibility of a DWI lawyer.
- Ask For Personal Referrals From People You Know
If you know friends or family who have experienced being charged with a DWI case, ask for their referrals. Inquire about the experience they had with the DWI lawyer and assess if they were satisfied with their legal services. However, you shouldn’t hire a DWI lawyer solely because a friend or family member recommended them. Remember, every person has a different basis for their recommendations. Make sure that you consider other factors before choosing a DWI lawyer, too.
- Interview The Prospective Lawyers
Once you have the names of prospective DWI lawyers, take the time to meet and talk to all of them. This is a great way for you to know more about the DWI lawyer and assess if they can meet your expectations. During this process, you should consider the following:
- Personality: Remember that you will closely communicate with a DWI lawyer in order to discuss the details of the case, and you can only be open with your lawyer if you’re at ease when working with them. Check the personal chemistry between you and the lawyer you’re eyeing to hire. Do you think you two can be friends? Do you see yourself talking to this person for hours comfortably? How is this person’s accessibility, experience, and personal rapport?
- Communication And Promptness: Being a novice in the legal procedure is one of the primary reasons you’re hiring a DWI lawyer in the first place. You don’t have any idea how the legal process works and what certain legal jargons mean. To ensure that you’ll be hiring a DWI lawyer who can meet your needs, check their communication and promptness. You should only hire a DWI lawyer who is easy to reach and can provide prompt answers. More often than not, you’ll have a lot of questions about your DWI case, like what documents to prepare, what to do next after the incident or how to communicate with your insurance adjuster. Your DWI lawyer should be ready to answer all of these immediately.
- Willingness To Work With You: You will be paying DWI lawyers with your hard-earned money. If you’re planning to hire a DWI lawyer who charges at least $300 per hour, you might even need to take out several loans just to afford their services. For you to make the most out of your payment, choose a DWI lawyer who is willing to work with you, not someone who is just clearly after your money. The DWI lawyer you hire should exert time and effort to educate you on your case.
- Conduct A Background Check
When you’re looking for the best DWI lawyer, you can think of yourself as an employer who is looking for the best candidate for an organization. You’ll have a lot of options, but because of what’s at stake, you need to be careful in choosing. After talking personally with the DWI lawyers you’ve shortlisted, conduct a background check. Research more on the credentials and experience of the DWI lawyers. Check if they also won DWI cases in the past. And most importantly, verify if the information they told you during the consultation is indeed true.
Take Your Time
Being charged with DWI can be nerve-wracking. However, you shouldn’t give in to pressure and hire any DWI lawyer because of the urgency. If you want to save yourself from having any legal responsibilities and get back on track as soon as possible, be careful in choosing a DWI lawyer. Remember that the DWI lawyer you hire can significantly affect your life and the outcome of your case.
