There are many types of lawyers available. Most lawyers specialize in a specific kind of case. If you need help with a legal matter, you’ll want to be assured that you have an expert in your type of case. Here are some of the most common types of examples:
1. When Your Car is Poorly Repaired
When you take your car to the local auto body shop, you trust them to repair it correctly. If the mechanic installs a part incorrectly or breaks a safety device, you can bring a lawsuit against them. This type of case would be handled by a consumer protection lawyer. Consumer protection lawyers work for the state attorney general.
Consumer protection lawyers are dedicated to protecting the rights of consumers, and the benefits of hiring them will include their ability to speak for you in the lawsuit. A one-hour consumer protection lawyer’s visit will cost approximately $150. A trial or settlement negotiation will cost $1000 – $5000.
To be a consumer protection lawyer, you need knowledge of business law and the laws of the state you live in. One famous example of a consumer protection case was a lawsuit against Facebook, which claimed they did not protect their subscribers’ personal information. Another example was the 2014 case against AT&T for offering unlimited phone plans, which had hidden limitations.
2. When Your Auto Insurance Company Denies Your Claim
You go to a car insurance provider to protect you in the event of an accident. If your car insurance denies your claim, and you believe their denial was wrongful, you can bring a suit against them. The same attorneys handling a car accident case can handle a lawsuit against a car insurance company.
You can sue your auto insurance company if you believe they didn’t examine your claim promptly, or if they underpaid your claim. Car accident lawyers typically work on a contingency basis, which means the lawyers are only paid if you win your case. The lawyers are paid 25 – 40 % of your win if you win.
Car accident lawyers need to know the laws regarding driving and insurance liability. One of the benefits of hiring them is to work with people who understand the language of insurance policies and insurance companies. According to a 2022 Insurance Litigation Report, State Farm Insurance had the most suits against it; it defended itself against almost 2700 auto insurance suits. Allstate was in second place, defending itself against nearly 1,200 claims.
3. When Another Person Injures You
It’s sometimes hard to think of anything except your pain when you have been injured. However, as soon as possible after the injury, you must find a local personal injury attorney to pursue the other person. There will be medical expenses, and you may be out of work for a while. These lawyers will work with victims of auto crashes and people who fall due to the negligence of a store owner.
Many strategies can be pursued in a personal injury lawsuit. When hiring a personal injury attorney, the benefits of hiring them include their knowledge of those laws. They will investigate your case to bring you the maximum compensation possible.
Personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis. The national average contingency fee for a personal injury lawsuit is 33% of the amount awarded. 5 One of the most famous personal injury lawsuits occurred in 1994, when Stella Leibeck sued McDonald’s because she received third-degree burns from their coffee. She won the case and received almost 3 million dollars.
4. When You Are Accused of a Crime
You will need to have an excellent attorney when you are accused of a crime. According to our Constitution, every citizen has the right to the best legal defense they can get. A criminal defense lawyer can advocate for you in local, state, or federal court.
Criminal cases can range from more minor offenses like petty theft or other misdemeanors to capital crimes such as murder. These attorneys know the law, criminal statutes, and tactics used to sway a jury in your favor. This knowledge and expertise are some of the benefits of hiring them.
Criminal defense attorneys will charge you by the hour, and their hourly fee varies between $100 – $400. 7 Because the nature of these crimes – especially when committed by a celebrity – is often the focus of national news. The most famous recent example of a criminal defense case is the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Another infamous example is the trials against Michael Jackson.
5. When You’re Unable to Pay Your Mortgage
When you receive a foreclosure notice, you may feel desperate to save your home. In times like that, you must turn to a foreclosure attorney. The role of these attorneys is to investigate your circumstances to see if they can stop the foreclosure process. While doing so, they may suggest you file for bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy may seem like a financial defeat, but it can also allow you to start over. Declaring bankruptcy also stops the foreclosure process. Foreclosure lawyers have excellent knowledge of real estate law and financial management. Their knowledge of these areas will add to the benefits of hiring them.
Foreclosure attorneys’ fees begin at $100 per hour, or a flat fee ranging from $1500 to $4000. 9 Movie hunk Burt Reynolds’ finances were depleted in 1993 after his divorce from Loni Anderson, and he lost his Florida home to foreclosure in 2011. Grammy-winning singer Toni Braxton also had a monetary downturn, and her Georgia house was lost to foreclosure in 2011.10
6. When You’re Charged with DUI
Having an auto accident can be overwhelming. When the police arrive, the officer may do a sobriety test. If they charge you with a DUI, you need to contact a team of DUI attorneys. They will try to get you the most minor legal penalties possible.
These professionals have had training in law and the intricacies of DUI-related laws in your state. This expert knowledge is one of the many benefits of hiring them. Another advantage of hiring a local DUI lawyer will be their familiarity with the courts in your municipality.
The average cost of a DUI attorney will be between $3000 to $7500. 11 This cost is much lower than a DUI conviction, which could cost up to $10 million 12 Unfortunately, there is no shortage of celebrities who have been prosecuted for DUI, including Justin Bieber, Keith Moon, Lindsay Lohan, and Amanda Byrnes. 13
7. When You Want to Be an American Citizen
When you are trying to become a citizen, the best way to overcome any challenges is to find the best immigration attorney in your area. They can also help if a loved one has been deported or if your loved one has been denied entry into the country. When you meet with an immigration attorney, they will explain your options and assist you in finding the best path to citizenship.
It’s important to note that an immigration case will be argued against a U.S. government branch. Immigration lawyers have extensive knowledge of immigration law, which has become very complicated since 2001. This knowledge, combined with their support, is one of the benefits of hiring them.
The hourly rate of an immigration lawyer averages between $150 – $300. 14 One of the most famous U.S. immigration cases was U.S. versus Wong Kim Ark, a person born in San Francisco of two Chinese citizens who lived in the U.S. Wong believed himself a United States citizen, but after a steamboat ride to China, he was denied re-entry to the U.S.A. The case, which was decided in Wong’s favor, set the tone for future cases of children born in the U.S.A. whose parents aren’t Americans. 15
8. When You Can No Longer Pay Your Bills
When you have tried everything possible but still can’t pay your bills, you can file for bankruptcy by contacting an expert in bankruptcy law. A bankruptcy attorney can decide what type of bankruptcy you should file – and they may protect your home from foreclosure. They’ll help you fill out the necessary forms and accompany you to bankruptcy court.
A bankruptcy attorney will explain your rights and options to you. When you work with a bankruptcy attorney, you can take advantage of your attorneys’ knowledge. They’ll also be able to give you tips to regain your financial status after you file for bankruptcy. When it comes to working with these experts, those are the benefits of hiring them.
Bankruptcy attorney fees vary by which state the lawyer practices in. For example, the fee in Ohio is $1400, while California’s is $2000. 16 The fee may also vary by which parts of your bankruptcy case you refer to your lawyer. There is no shortage of famous bankruptcy cases, including former President Donald Trump, who filed for bankruptcy four times between 1991 and 2009, and Walt Disney, who filed for bankruptcy in 1920. 17
9. When You’ve Been Hurt by Someone You Love
When you love and trust someone, it can be devastating to have them hurt you. When you need to protect yourself and your children, contact a team of domestic violence attorneys. Once you decide to go to a lawyer you may need protection against them, so they can’t return to your home and hurt you again. Your domestic violence lawyer will assist you in getting a restraining order against them – which means if the person comes near you, they can be arrested.
These lawyers can also help you file a domestic violence lawsuit against your former mate. If you are ready, they can also help you begin divorce proceedings. If you have children, part of their services can help you to retain custody of your children. Their knowledge of these aspects of law will be the benefit of hiring them.
According to thervo.com, hiring a domestic lawyer attorney will cost $250 to $400 per hour. 18 Celebrities involved in domestic violence cases include Chris Brown and his girlfriend, Rihanna, and Johnny Depp and his wife, Amber Heard. Sometimes celebrities file charges and drop them, as in the case of Sean Penn – his wife Madonna was accused, but the charges were later dropped. 19
10. When You Have a Problem with Your Visa
When there is a problem with your visa status, you should contact an immigration lawyer. There are several types of visas, but a lawyer specializing in visas can distinguish between these types and help you to apply for the visa status for which you qualify. Tourist and transit visas allow people in the U.S. on vacation or to stop briefly on their way to another country.
A business visa is for those attending meetings in the U.S., while a work visa is for someone a U.S. employer will employ. These lawyers can also help you with green cards (a document allowing a non-citizen to live and work in the U.S.). According to visapro.com, there could be as many as 100 immigration and visa services offered by these lawyers. 20 The visa lawyers handle all types of visas, and their experience in immigration and visa problems are some of the benefits of hiring them.
A visa lawyer fee is about $150 per hour, and the cost to file an immigration application is $250 to $800, while a green card application is $800 to $5000. 21 Examples of green card cases cited by the law offices of Merril R Cohen in New York, NY, include a case of a classical music whistler who was granted a green card because they were shown to be an expert in their musical style. Another of their cases involved an entrepreneur who obtained a green card due to their job as a tracker of oysters for farm-to-table restaurants – despite tracking only three restaurants.
When you need a lawyer, it’s good to know there is an attorney to help people with every kind of legal issue. If you check the listings above for information about these lawyers, you’ll see the benefits of hiring them. When you need help with the law, it will be good to know that one of these experts is on your side.
