6 Important Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer

Published on: 19 July 2018 Last Updated on: 22 June 2021
Personal Injury Lawyer

The worst has happened. You got injured on the job, or your spouse hurt you in a fight.

Something happened to you while you were at the dentist, or you had a severe reaction to a latte.

Regardless, health care is expensive. There’s a chance that you’re not able to cover the bill.

You start wondering if there’s some other way to pay for your medical expenses. You talk to your company or ask for compensation. But no one is willing to do anything.

If this sounds like you or someone you love, it’s time to consider legal action. You can contact a personal injury lawyer who will help you get what you deserve.

But before you hire anyone, check out our six questions to ask a personal injury lawyer.

Why Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Sometimes we get hurt, and it’s because of our own stupidity. But there are times when the blame rests on another party. This can be an individual, a company, or even a doctor. When this happens, it’s time to hire a personal injury lawyer.

There are many different kinds of lawyers who can help you. Choosing the right one depends on the personal injury questions you have.

Most personal injury lawyers can handle a car crash case. But what happens if there are many parties involved or if there is severe damage? You’ll need a lawyer with more experience in your type of case.

If a doctor injured you, then hire a lawyer with experience in medical malpractice. At least they need to know about medical procedures and misdiagnoses.

If you got hurt by a piece of machinery, then look for a lawyer with a background in corporate and negligence law.

Do some research into the nature of your case. That way you’ll be able to find the right personal injury lawyer for your needs.

What Information Do I Need Before I Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Keep in mind that scheduling a consultation with a lawyer is not the same as hiring them. You’re asking them in-depth questions about their background and career. You’d do the same for any contractor or real estate agent.

But before you sit down with a lawyer, it will help you to have a few things prepared.

First, you’ll need to record the details of your case. Write down everything that’s related to what happened. Describe the events in the order they happened, and be as detailed as possible.

If you need help, think of the 4 W’s. Who was involved? Where did the accident happen? When did it take place? What were you doing? In fact, what was everyone doing?

Try to be as factual as possible. If you lie, it will come out in court. Then you’ll be in trouble.

Gather any evidence you can. This includes things like:

  • Police reports, tickets, arrest information, and toxicology results
  • Eye-witness reports
  • Photographs and videos
  • Bills, receipts, medical records, and any diagnoses

Getting all this information in one folder will help you and the personal injury lawyer.

6 Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer

Hiring a lawyer is as personal as hiring a doctor or a therapist. It’s an expensive service, and you want to make sure you have the right lawyer for you. So check out our six questions to ask a personal injury lawyer before you hire them.

1. Have You Taken a Case Like Mine Before?

This is one of the most important questions to ask an attorney before hiring them. You want to make sure your case is in good hands, so don’t be afraid to ask about their experience.

Your lawyer should have years of experience working with cases like yours. It’s also important that they have experience winning cases, or making successful settlements.

Ask them for a reference list of all their cases. They should also have endorsements from past clients.

If your internal radar goes off, you can look up an attorney’s disciplinary records online. Some states need a lawyer’s bar number to do this. But other states like Georgia will list the lawyer’s name.

2. What is Your Opinion of My Case?

In other words, does this personal injury attorney think you’ll win?

This is one of the more dubious questions to ask a personal injury lawyer, but it’s an essential one. Their answer will help you make your decision about whether to hire this attorney.

You want them to give you an honest answer, of course. No decent lawyer wants to waste their time on a hopeless case, even if you are paying them.

They should give you an objective opinion about whether you’ll win your case based on the evidence you’ve given them.

That said, ask this question with an open mind. It’s easy for the victim of an accident to think they deserve compensation. If a personal injury lawyer is telling you it won’t happen, there might be some merit in that.

3. Will My Case Go to Trial?

Only 4%-5% of personal injury cases go to trial. That means there’s a good chance your case will settle out of court.

But no matter what the odds, a good personal injury lawyer will prepare to go to trial. In fact, it’s a red flag if the lawyer starts talking about settling out of court from the get-go.

Trials can be long and expensive for you. But if you have to go to court you want a lawyer who’s experienced. Ask them about their record in court, and whether the case won by a judge or jury.

Your lawyer should also be able to give you a timeline of how long a court proceeding takes.

While each case is unique, an experienced lawyer knows how things go at the local courthouse.

Regardless of whether you go to court, you need to talk with your lawyer about your level of involvement. Some people want to be at every meeting and deposition, but most lawyers won’t allow it. It’s often best for you to stay on the sidelines and trust your lawyer.

4. What are Your Fees?

This is another important question to ask an attorney. If you can’t afford this lawyer, then you’ll need to look for someone else.

A typical personal injury lawyer earns money based on contingency fees. That means you won’t pay any fees unless you win money damages in the lawsuit.

Once you do win the case, the personal injury lawyer will take a percentage of the money. This can range from 25% – 40% of anything you win from the lawsuit.

While this is a great incentive for your lawyer to win your case, it might not be the only bill. There are other costs you should ask about, like case-related costs. These are also known as “out of pocket” fees. Ask your lawyer about these fees, and who will pay them in case you lose.

Do not work with a personal injury lawyer who charges by the hour. These kinds of payment plans can get expensive in personal injury cases.

5. How Much is My Case Worth?

An experienced personal injury lawyer should give you an estimate on how much your case is worth. They’ll base this estimate on cases they’ve already won or worked on.

Most personal injury lawyers won’t give you a hard number to work with, but instead give you some kind of range. They need to explain how the different factors in your case will affect the bottom line.

You can also ask them point-blank whether they’ll make more for you than their competitors.

After all, this isn’t only about getting justice for you. It’s also about who’s going to pay your medical bills.

Money is always hard to talk about, but you have to do it. You can discover more about discussing your case worth by doing some research. Make sure that you factor in the lawyer’s contingency fee when you talk about how much you can make.

6. Who is Handling My Case?

This question is vital if you’re working with a large law firm. This is because that lawyer you spent all that time getting to know? He might not be the one representing you in court.

This might help you because you’ll have a larger team working on your case. Lawyers all specialize in different things. If your case is a complicated one, there’s a good chance it’ll get passed around the firm.

But that’s why it’s important to know who is handling your case, and why. You want to know who you need to contact in each situation. You should also ask about the track record of every lawyer on your case.

If your lawyer has less experience than the one you spoke to, ask about who is supervising them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or voice your concerns.

Want More Tips About Hiring a Lawyer?

We have lots of informative blog posts on our site about the legal field. If you want to know about questions to ask a personal injury lawyer or other legal tips, check out our blog.

We also have articles on everything else you can imagine. From social media to entertainment to real estate, we have you covered. Take a look at our site for more great posts.

Read More:

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Collaborative Divorce

A Civil Way of Separating: 6 Questions and Answers About Collaborative Divorce

A collaborative divorce is one in which spouses work together, with their lawyers, to reach a divorce agreement instead of taking the case to court. This process can help reduce stress, enable the couple to get divorced faster and help the couple save as much money as possible through the divorce process. While this is a relatively new way to get a divorce, this is one many couple are choosing because it can make the divorce process easier on everyone involved. How Does Collaborative Divorce Work? During the collaborative law process, both spouses hire a collaborative divorce lawyer to protect their interests and help them through the divorce process. The lawyers and spouses will then have a series of meetings to identify the issues that need to be resolved and work on coming up with a solution that’s good for everyone. Other professionals may be called in to help facilitate these discussions and help the spouses find a good solution. How Expensive is a Collaborative Divorce? A collaborative divorce can be expensive, depending on how long it takes and how many professionals need to be brought in to help work out any issues. Traditional divorces will end with couples spending more than $20,000 for divorces that go through a trial. A collaborative divorce, on the other hand, doesn’t involve going to trial so, even with the added cost of help from professionals, the collaborative divorce is far less expensive. Can Anyone Seek a Collaborative Divorce? Any couple can seek a collaborative divorce, so long as both spouses are available and willing to work through the process. High-conflict divorce cases can be solved through the collaborative divorce process without the divorce needing to go through a trial. A collaborative divorce won’t be available if one spouse cannot be found or if one spouse does not wish to try this process. Is it Possible to Switch from a Standard Divorce to a Collaborative Divorce? Yes, but only if both spouses are willing to give a collaborative divorce a try. If the spouse who has already filed does not have an attorney trained in the collaborative divorce process, they must be willing to end the current divorce case and start over with a new lawyer. What Happens if One Side is Dishonest? While a collaborative divorce depends on honesty between spouses, it’s possible that one side will be dishonest during the process. If any dishonesty is found, the lawyer for that side is required to let the other side know and to withdraw from representing their client. What Happens if an Agreement Can’t be Reached? A collaborative divorce will work out well in most cases, but there is always the chance that spouses cannot come to an agreement. If this happens, the spouses can decide to quit the collaborative divorce and start over with a divorce that goes to trial. In this case, they will both be required to find new attorneys to help them through a traditional divorce. If you are planning on getting a divorce, a collaborative divorce might be worth a try. Speak with a collaborative divorce attorney today to learn more about whether this is right in your situation, how you can get started, and how you can talk to your spouse and encourage them to start the collaborative divorce process. Read Also: How To Avoid A Toxic Divorce Benefits Of Using Divorce Lawyers Top 7 Reasons To Hire A Private Detective Agency During Divorce Cases Divorce Lawyers In Houston Texas: A Short Guide On Saving Your Marriage

READ MOREDetails
Well-Settled Law Firm

Golden Rules To Establish A Well-Settled Law Firm

It is not easy to start a law firm because it involves a proper legal procedure. Many people make a mistake by getting a building for the law firm and doing the legal process. But once they begin with the business, it does not work well. Ever wondered why? Many reasons would fail the law firms because money is not everything. Mind mapping is a common technique used by professional businessmen widely. They think about everything from getting a building to getting a client for their well-settled law firm. When it comes to mind mapping for business the lawyer should focus on a niche. They should practice in one type of legal case. If a family lawyer has more experience in divorce cases than land disputes, he should open a well-settled law firm to resolve divorce cases only. Read Law Firms in Dubai and how to get a license to practice here. Here Are Golden Rules To Establish A Well-Settled Law Firm: 1. Modern Marketing Secondly, the law firms do not know the importance of marketing. Nowadays, word of mouth is an old technique of marketing. They should hire an advertising agency that can provide them with digital marketing to upgrade their presence on social media and websites. People say that communication is the key. It is true. Some clients do not even pay their bills on time, yet they are not reminded by the lawyers, even. For any business, the cash flow shall be constant. You need to communicate with clients not only for their legal cases, but also tell them to act professionally when it comes to payments. You should also keep them informed about the business expansion in terms of issuing newsletters, biweekly. Some clients love to hear from the businesses. However, last but not the least, it is important that you need work in a team to achieve the optimum level of your business. Therefore, if you do not know anything about marketing, you may hire a digital advertising agency. If you need help to decide your niche, you must consult with your legal professional friends. There is a solution to everything once you start focusing on business. 2. Labour and Employment Lawyers Labour and Employment Lawyers are an important part of any well-settled Law Firm. Business, employment, and profit opportunities are the three major deltas of a trade-in in any country. You need resources to start a business, you need a workforce to manage operations and you need opportunities to continue the operations. Let’s throw the light on Labour and Employment Lawyers here. 3. Consult the Labour and Employment Lawyers in the Beginning Many people are mistaken when it comes to opening up a business. They are of the view that finance is everything in the business. They ignore the legal aspects of the business. However, one cannot start a business professionally if he does not have a proper office space to begin. Only, the freelancers can begin to work from home and earn a handsome amount of money. To set up a business requires a lot of understanding at different levels. The best way to begin with a business is to consult labour and employment lawyers before investing money. The initial investment does not have to be too big. In fact, you can begin at a small scale even if the business lawyers are there to help you out. To keep up with the strong market value, you will need a good business lawyer for your company. When a business starts growing, the competitors try to make it fail by hook or crook. Therefore, the legal services should always be on board. You need to hire a lawyer who would know the corporate world and the laws regarding any business. Being a businessman, you should also know about the real estate property law, because at the end of the day, you have to buy the property. The legal consultants can only help you in choosing the best space that they can manage legally. Moreover, labor and employment lawyers have more responsibilities than contract specialists. They have to manage the disputes between management and the labor force. They also have to register the business for an audit. Hence, lawyers should be the utmost priority of any business. To find a good lawyer in your locality, you should visit a few law firms nearby. It is important to learn about their reputation and check their previous records. After shortlisting a few, it is important that you should meet those lawyers in person. Some of them have a good reputation with bad communication skills, but others have communication skills and a good reputation too. Find a lawyer who would understand your business requirement. Labour and Employment Lawyers in UAE, having the important more than in other countries. UAE is one of those countries where mostly the employees are expatriates, not the local residents. Therefore, a large workforce has to be managed. If you will not manage a large workforce using the law then it will create serious issues. Therefore the UAE Labour Law which is popular in the world is revised quite often to have better control and offer a favour to people working in UAE. This is not for the employees only. It is all about the Employers and Employees equally. Read Also: What Personal Injury Law in California Involves A Comprehensive Guide to Law Firm Finance in 2021 How To Choose A Practice Management Software For Your Law Firm

READ MOREDetails
personal injury attorneys

Personal Injury Attorneys Denver

One is exposed to many sudden accidents, especially when one live in a crowded city like Denver. Are you searching for personal injury attorneys? We hope that you never experience any kind of accident, but one should do his/her best to deal with any bad circumstances and prepare himself/herself accordingly. Personal injury attorneys Denver is a popular topic because people are looking for personal injury lawyers as they might have an accident in Denver So, we will let you aware of the necessary information about personal injury attorneys in Denver. Are personal injury attorneys worth hiring in Denver? You might think that your insurance company will handle any consequences of an accident you might have, but you should remember that any possible accident will include you and other parties. Personal injury experts at The Sawaya Law Firm point out that such lawsuits are not as straightforward as you might think. No one, be it a business organization or an insurance company is ready to part with claims without putting up a fight. Every claim they address eats into their revenues and profits. Victims need to be prepared as these bug organizations along with their battery of lawyers will go out of their way to deny fair and just compensation claims. Reasons why you need to hire personal injury attorneys in Denver: You have to deal with other insurance companies from other parties. Your insurance provider might not cover certain types of accidents. You might lose the negotiation with your insurance company. When you have an accident, you will be busy with the instant circumstances, and you will not think about how you will have compensation. When do you need a personal injury attorney in Denver? You can answer this question with "whenever you have a car accident," but it is more than car accidents. You might have an injury while walking because of road construction; it is a pedestrian accident. General construction accidents are included as they are common, and the areas under construction are dangerous. You can count bicycle and motor accidents in, as well. They are not of less importance than other automotive accidents. Defective products that might cause poisoning, might be expired, then you have the right of suing the market you bought from. Last but not least, wrongful death, experiencing the death of a relative, is miserable, and facing that with an outside factor, which would be the cause of your relatives’ death, will make things much more difficult and complex. And having a personal lawyer beside you will facilitate any legal actions. This is another good reason for having a personal attorney. Finally, you can include any sudden accident with personal injuries, and consult a lawyer whenever you are in trouble. What compensation might your personal injury attorney guarantee? It depends on your accident type and conditions — no certain answer for all cases. However, compensation must include any consequential damages regarding personal injuries in a certain case. No matter how much those damages will cost or what kinds they are. From physical medical expenses to consulting a psychiatrist because of the following depression. And here is another reason to hire a personal injury attorney, you really cannot get your full rights without an experienced attorney. How to find and hire a personal injury attorney Now, we will have some tips and questions to find the best personal injury attorneys. 1. Ask a friend It is not cool to remind a friend of a past accident, but your real friend will get you properly and help you. So, ask him or one with similar previous experience in your network. If none, go online, read reviews, and post your questions and case on local communities in Denver. That leads us to the second step in our searching process. 2. Identify your case clearly When you cannot figure your own needs, no one will be able to help you. So, be super clear, and post/tell every single detail of your case. Then, you will have many mentions and recommendations online. It is time to contact some lawyers before any communication. Do not let anyone affect your decision; some only look for commissions by recommending or other personal stuff. So, select what you feel they are good at and start interviewing. 3. Interview many lawyers After your selection of a few lawyers, it is time to interview them with good questions to be able to evaluate well and select the best for you. Let us see some necessary questions. How long have you been working in Denver? Have you ever dealt with personal injury cases? If so, How many cases or how long? How often do you deal with personal injury cases? How many personal injury cases did you resolve and win? Have you handled a case like mine? If so, did you win it? How much do you charge for such cases? What are your time expectations until resolving my case? Do you think my case will go to trial based on previous cases? Do you think we will have any unexpected difficulties? Will you work alone in my case, or will there be other attorneys? Will you keep me informed weekly? Do you have the time and resources to work on my case? What do you need from my side to start? Those are basic questions that can lead you to more detailed questions. Having all said, hopefully, you will not get in trouble, but if so, try not to rush, then evaluate your situation, whether it is a car accident or poisoning, and consult a lawyer to have the best compensation. Read Also: What you need to know to win your slip & fall case Do I Need a Lawyer for a Car Accident that wasn't My Fault?

READ MOREDetails