When an accident occurs, it may be necessary for any involved individuals or entities to obtain a lawyer to represent their interests and become their advocate. Accident specialists are lawyers who specifically work with accident victims to communicate with insurance companies, the other party, and the police. Another name for accident specialists is a personal injury lawyer. Types of cases lawyers of this variety represent include individuals who have been in car accidents and those who have experienced workplace accidents that resulted in injury or bodily harm. You can become an accident specialist by graduating from law school and focusing on personal injury law.
Depending upon the case, accident specialists may have a need to appear in both civil and criminal court trials. Many cases have no need to go to trial at all and are settled out of court when both parties reach an agreement. It is usually the job of the accident specialist to attempt to negotiate a settlement and avoid taking cases to what can be a costly and lengthy trial process. In some instances, all an accident specialist needs to do is to contact an insurance company or place of employment and speak on the client's behalf to ensure compensation is dispersed timely and accurately.
To become an accident specialist in the United States, you must first attend college and earn an undergraduate degree before you can apply to law school. In addition to a college degree, law schools also require you to submit standardized law school admissions test scores and a completed application packet. The packet generally includes recommendation letters and a detailed history of any extracurricular activities completed while in college. Regions other than the United States may differ in their law school admissions standards and educational time-line.
While in law school, to become an accident specialist you should choose electives that focus on personal injury law. During the summer, you can attempt to find internships at law firms that focus on accident cases and let them you know that you intend to become an accident specialist. After law school, the next step to become an accident specialist is to pass a comprehensive law exam that grants lawyers the ability to practice law within a certain region. Once the qualifying exam is cleared and law school is completed, you should be able to look for an entry level lawyer position working underneath a partner at a personal injury law firm.
