Have you been injured in a car accident, or trip, fall, or become hurt another way? If so, you must become familiar with the process of seeking damages in connection with a personal injury claim. Suppose that you enter the consultation with your attorney having a general procedural understanding. In that is the case, you will get much more out of the experience and be able to better gauge the attorney’s ability to get you the compensation you deserve.
There are several questions that you should always be ready to ask. But first, before detailing these questions, you should remember that it is critical to contact an attorney as soon as possible after an accident. It is always best to avoid discussing the accident with your or anyone else’s insurance provider without seeing an attorney first. Frequently, the insurance company of the other party will take advantage of the fact that you have not consulted with a lawyer and will be able to use your statements against you in connection with the case.
With that said, let’s get into some questions you should ask of any attorney you are considering for your personal injury case.
1) What are your fees?
Knowing what percentage your attorney will take from your total settlement before you settle is important. Attorneys typically charge different fees for pre-litigation or settling versus taking the case to court, suing. Anytime court is involved, the fee usually increases.
2) If I don’t win my case, am I responsible for any costs associated with the case?
In most cases, if you do not receive compensation, your attorney will not receive any attorney fees either. However, it can vary depending on the attorney, which is a critical consideration when meeting prospective attorneys.
3) How much experience do you have with pre-litigation versus litigation?
Your attorney should be experienced in both pre-litigation and litigation. While a track record of settling and getting clients maximum compensation is great, you also want an attorney with significant trial experience if your case does not get settled and does wind up in a trial.
4) How often will I be updated on the case?
Always discuss this ahead of time before you agree to work with an attorney. You should have a good understanding of what milestones you will be informed of, and how often. The things that seem small details to the attorneys, may seem much more important to the clients. You must work with your attorney to determine what updates you will receive and whether they will come from the attorney on your case, an associate, or a paralegal.
Your communication preferences should be clear from the beginning so that there are no misunderstandings or feelings of being left out of the process as it moves along.
5) How long will it take to resolve my personal injury case?
The process can be long and drawn out, with settlement heavily dependent upon the details of each specific case. Truly, it can take a couple of months or several years. However, after hearing the details of your case, a good attorney should be able to provide a broad overview of what can be expected and what the anticipated timeline will be.
6) How many cases do you manage at any given time?
Depending on the firm and many other factors, the workload of an attorney can vary greatly. It is important to get a sense of how much time an attorney will be able to devote to your case.
Those are the basic questions you should ask and have answers to. to feel comfortable before working with an attorney. If you have been in an accident and have been injured, our attorneys will be pleased to set up a consultation to discuss the details of your case and determine whether they can help you achieve a successful settlement outcome. Contact us as soon as possible, and we will work with you to get you the compensation you deserve.