What questions to ask a personal injury lawyer?
- Find out which area of law does the personal injury attorney specialize in? Never approach an attorney who does not specialize in personal injury.
- Find out if the lawyer has handled similar cases in the past? How many cases has he/ she handled and what were the outcome? It is not necessary that every personal injury lawyer has to be a skilled lawyer. They can be new in this field, may be part-time lawyers or can be awful. In fact, there are particular jurisdictions that permit attorneys give out their information about their earlier cases.
- Can the lawyer provide references of his earlier clients? You could check with the previous clients if they were happy with the lawyer’s performance and how much time did he/ she take to resolve the case.
- Will the attorney be assisted by other lawyers on this case? Many times the bulk work is handled by non-attorneys and junior lawyers of the firm end up being part of the hearing. These junior lawyers may be good, but it is necessary to get the right lawyer for your case and not just the law firm.
- How long will it take for the case to be resolved? The attorney might not be able to give you an exact time frame, but can give a general time period.
- What can be done to strengthen the case? Provide necessary documents and numbers of doctors, investigators. Be a part of the case till the settlement.
- How often will the lawyer attend the trial? Many times insurance companies end up paying for injuries and they can end up paying less. If the attorney does not go for trials regularly, then he/ she might be looking for an immediate payoff.
- Has the lawyer ever been reprimanded for his conduct? If yes, then find the details.
- If the attorney does not agree to the client’s settlement, will he/ she give in to the client’s request? In some situations, personal injury lawyer might suggest you to accept a quick payoff. If you do not agree, the lawyer can withdraw from representing you in the court.
- Will the lawyer take contingency fee? There are many personal injury lawyers who do not charge for their service, but take a portion of the money one receives after settlement. There are many personal injury lawyers who end up paying for your doctor’s visit before the settlement. If a lawyer charges on a per hour basis, then it can be expensive.
Ask these questions before hiring a personal injury lawyer.
