Hiring a personal injury lawyer for your case can be a tedious process. If you Google search “Best Personal Injury Attorney,” you will get plenty of results. However, it can be confusing to pick the best one for your case. There are several parameters on which you should judge the law firms, and attorneys and then decide on a conclusion. It is important to choose an expert and the right professional for your case or else you risk losing the case.
When you find a personal injury law office near you and contact them on the phone, or visit them for the first time, you should be well prepared. If you don’t know what you are looking for in a lawyer, they might easily convince you even if they are not the right fit for your case. We have compiled for you a list of questions to ask the lawyers.
1. What’s their fees and how much will it cost you?
The rates of the Law firms and attorneys vary depending on their policies, office locations and years of experience. Some attorneys do not charge any consultancy fees, while others do. It is important to understand their financial structure before you start utilizing their services. Ask them whether they charge an hourly rate, a fixed amount or a part of the settlement offer they will win for you.
Most attorneys do not charge you anything until they win a case for you. If budget is an issue for you, we don’t recommend you choosing a lawyer who charges upfront. Additionally, ask them if there are any hidden costs to their fee structure. While you proceed with a case, there are court fees you need to handle for filing and other administrative purposes. You should know beforehand if the attorney will pay for them and later charge you from your settlement amount or you have to bear these costs.
2. How many years of experience do you have in handling similar cases?
Your personal injury case may fall under any of these categories- slip and fall, dog bites, auto accidents, parking lot accidents, Medical lawsuits, Nursing abuse, and many others. The deadlines and laws vary according to different types of personal injuries and the states where the claim is being filed. It is important you ask them how many such previous cases have they handled and whether they were able to recover the settlement amount. You can also ask them the information of their previous clients and their contact numbers and directly ask for feedback.
3. Where can I find you on social media?
Social media plays an important role these days. Apps such as Twitter, Instagram and Reddit help the businesses to stay connected with their previous clients and reach information to the potential future clients. You can find the reviews of the previous clients, press releases, big cases that they have won and do your own search. You can look for testimonials from similar clients on their websites and other media handles.
4. Do you have the experience to take my case to trial, if required?
Usually, your personal injury attorney will try to settle with the other party out of the court. However, if the insurers of both the parties don’t agree, then the case goes to the courtroom. Your attorney should have enough experience in handling trials.
An expert attorney knows the right contacts and has the established network of investigators to help you win the case.
5. Do you think my case has any major issues?
Be honest with your attorney and provide them with correct details of your case. Next, ask them if they see any major complications with your case. It is important to discover the potential issues and frame a relevant case-strategy.
It’s important to sit relaxed and ask your attorney these questions in order to pick the right one.
