Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer

When you are in any accident – be it a car wreck, a slip & fall, or another type of personal injury – the most important thing you will need to do is…

FIND THE RIGHT LAWYER.

We may not like it, but many injuries are not preventable – injuries happen – all the time, to everyone. However, there ARE many injuries, like those that are intentional and those that pertain to economic issues that also happen, all the time, to everyone. No matter what the cause, or if it was intentional or not, any kind of injury will have you hollering for justice, if not in pain.

But there is hope, there is help out there for every type and degree of injury. You want the best in legal care as well as have your case handled quickly and as competent as possible.

How do you go about doing that? Well, here are a few questions to ask a potential lawyer:

My situation could be unique – have you dealt with this type issue before with other clients?

It is always best to hire an experienced attorney. Many lawyers specialize in certain areas of law, such as vehicular accidents, fraud, or workers’ comp. Find an attorney who handles your type of claim.

What are your rates? What is your hourly fee?

Ask up front. You have a right to know what cost you are facing or what the attorney will charge. You need a good attorney so experience and reputation may cost you more than one straight out of law school. Tell him/her you do not want any surprises. Nor do you want to pay full price for paralegals and assistants when doing what the lawyer would do. Ask for fairness with him/her while getting you justice for your claim. Let them know you expect a discount for law techs.

Do I have a strong Case?

Of course your lawyer does not have a crystal ball to know everything including the end result of your case. (Wouldn’t that be nice?!) However, if you have found a reputable, good, experienced lawyer he/she can usually give you an idea of the possible outcome, based on their previous cases. They can tell you the weak and the strong points of your case. They can usually give you an idea of the percentage of success with such claims.

How much and how well will we communicate with my case?

This case is very important to you. You are injured, you are in pain, you may have lost your job, you may have lost your vehicle. The last thing you need is to not be able to talk to your lawyer. Make sure they have every way possible to contact you. Ask when can you expect them to get back with you about a question or a need.

Are we comfortable with each other, and can we communicate well?

You must feel comfortable with your lawyer. You must feel like you can express yourself to him/her honestly and fully without embarrassment or conflict. Ask yourself this question once you have met the lawyer in consultation. You want someone you can work with and someone you can trust.

Of course these are just some of the important questions that you need to consider when hiring an attorney. There is a lot to consider and you have a lot at stake.