It’s important to consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer if you’re considering filing a personal injury lawsuit. However, when you consult with an attorney, you’ll need to know what questions to ask them.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, questions you should ask a personal injury attorney include:
- How Much Experience Do You Have?
This is one of the most important things you can ask a potential injury lawyer. You’re going to want a lawyer who has been handling cases like yours for many years.
Think about the experience of your lawyer like you’d think about the experience of a doctor. If you have a serious heart problem, you probably want to visit an experienced cardiologist instead of a general practitioner. So, if you’ve been injured in an accident, you’re going to want an experienced personal injury lawyer.
- What Fees Do You Charge?
Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means that they won’t charge you any fee until and unless they successfully recover financial compensation on your behalf. You’ll be given a free consultation by them, and you won’t be charged any upfront or out-of-pocket fees.
Should they recover compensation for you, they’ll charge you a percentage of what they recover.
You should ask a potential lawyer if they charge a contingency fee and, if so, what percentage of the recovery they will charge.
- Can You Help Me Find Doctors?
Some personal injury lawyers work with networks of doctors who treat their clients on liens. What this means is that the doctors don’t charge the lawyers’ clients until their cases are over. This means that you can obtain medical treatment for your injuries even if you can’t afford it.
It’s a good sign when a lawyer can help you find doctors who will treat you on a lien. This means that the lawyer is trusted by doctors to get great results for their clients.
- What Is the Value of My Case?
It may be tough for a lawyer to accurately estimate your case’s value, since every case is unique and different. For example, if you were disabled from a car accident case, that would likely be worth more than a slip and fall case without any extensive injuries.
However, a potential attorney will be able to provide you with a ballpark figure regarding the value of your case as you discuss the details of your case with them.
The value of your case may be influenced by the ability of your lawyer to win a lawsuit in court. Insurance companies will be much more willing to negotiate a larger settlement if your lawyer has a proven track record in court.
- What Do You Expect of Me?
Prior to hiring an injury lawyer, make sure you understand the role that you will have in the legal process, as well as what will be expected of you by your lawyer. Some victims of injuries want to be very involved in cases and attend meetings like depositions.
Will your lawyer allow this to occur? Some won’t.
Some clients want to have their lawyer handle each aspect of their case while they simply focus on injury recovery. Make sure you’re on the same page as your attorney about what will be expected of you.
