What Questions Should You Ask Your Personal Injury Lawyer?

Recovering damages for any injuries you sustain as a result of a serious accident can sometimes be challenging.  In these instances, you may want to consider hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer to represent you and advocate for your interests in any negotiations with an insurance company.  Moreover, it is especially important that you consult with an attorney before filing a personal injury lawsuit.  However, before you decide to hire a lawyer, there are some questions you should be sure to ask them. 

When you choose your personal injury lawyer, you will want to make sure that you trust them and are comfortable them as they will be an advisor with whom you will end up working with very closely.  If possible, you may even want to interview more than one lawyer before you make your decision about who you want to advocate for your rights.  The following are some of the questions you should consider asking your potential personal injury lawyer:

• How much will it cost to hire you?
• Most personal injury lawyers take cases on what is called a contingency fee basis, meaning that you usually will not have to pay your lawyer anything unless and until you recover damages in your case.  Your lawyer will get a percentage of your total recovery, and in many states the percentage is usually around a third of the amount of your settlement or your verdict awarded after a trial. 
• What happens if I lose my case?  Will I be responsible for any costs then?
• It is possible that your lawyer will also charge for out-of-pocket costs in addition to the contingency fee, and whether you would be responsible for these costs if your case is unsuccessful is something you need to clarify with your lawyer before you hire them. 
• How much experience do you have trying personal injury cases like mine?
• You should never automatically assume that the lawyer you’re interviewing has handled cases that are similar to yours.  You should always ask them about what kind of experience they have and whether they’ve obtained favorable results.  If you were injured due to medical malpractice, you likely would not want to hire a lawyer who only has experience handling motor vehicle accidents.
• How long might it take to resolve my case?
• How long your case will take to resolve will usually depend on the facts and circumstances, but an experienced personal injury lawyer should probably be able to provide you with a rough estimate. 
• Do you have enough time to devote to my case?
• Oftentimes lawyers take on too many clients at a time, and when that happens, cases get set aside.  When interviewing a potential lawyer, you should be sure to ask them about the amount of time they have to devote to your case and that you would like it resolved as quickly as possible. 
• Can you provide me with a reference?
• You should never hesitate to ask a potential lawyer for references, and particularly a reference from a former client who was satisfied with the work the lawyer performed and the results they obtained. 

About the Author:

The Law Office of Justin H. King