If you ever get hurt, and someone else is guilty of causing your injuries or damages, you need to make sure to hold them accountable legally. This only happens when you hire a personal injury lawyer known for winning cases and pushing for fair settlements.
The United States is home to more than 50,000 personal injury lawyers. This means that there are plenty for you to choose from.
What does a personal injury lawyer do? How can you find the best personal injury lawyer?
This article will teach you the eight questions you need to ask a personal injury lawyer before hiring them for your case.
1. How Does My Case Sound to You?
Before getting into the details of your case, ask this open-ended question to get a professional opinion. An attorney will listen to your rendition of how you got hurt and what variables you’re dealing with in recovery and seeking compensation.
From here, the lawyer will be better able to assess your case and figure out if it’s worthwhile to represent you. They will let you know what you’re entitled to in a worker’s compensation settlement, car accident case, or any other area of personal injury law.
2. How Long Have You Been Practicing Law?
Choosing the right lawyer is very important to the outcome of your case, so do as much background research as you need to.
Learn how many years they have been practicing before making the choice to hire a personal injury lawyer. Knowing that they have years of experience will make you feel confident that they can recoup damages in your case.
Your community is home to lawyers with decades of experience, so always ask around, do some background checks before making your final decision.
3. What Is Your Track Record With These Cases?
During a consultation, ask the lawyer what kind of successes and failures they have had with these cases. Find a lawyer that is proven to win settlements and court judgments.
Ask them if they can provide examples of other cases they’ve won that were similar to yours. You have to know their ability when figuring out how to choose a personal injury lawyer that can deliver results.
4. What Evidence Do We Have?
Evidence is the name of the game when you’re trying to win a personal injury case. Personal injury cases rely on evidence both to prove fault and to substantiate the injuries.
Some examples of evidence that they can use to help you win your case include accident reports, medical bills, surveillance, photos, videos, and physical evidence from the original accident scene.
They might also speak to some witnesses who can verify your rendition of things.
5. What Is Your Rate?
As you’re weighing how and when to hire a personal injury lawyer, you have to always consider the cost. Find out what rate they charge to find out if it’s worth it.
This is important, since most personal injury lawyers will collect a portion of the money you receive. Their contingency fee is a percentage that is paid at the end. Ask the lawyer if you still owe money if you lose your case, or if they operate under a no win, no fee structure.
6. Should My Case Go to Court?
You need to be careful when mapping out the strategy of your case. This often means deciding whether you want to take your case to trial or if a settlement is the best-case scenario.
The lawyer will also advise you on which is most likely to be successful and can steer the strategy for whichever course you choose. If the case is going to be negotiated outside of court, you need the help of a lawyer who is great at making deals.
They’ll make sure that the settlement amount is enough to finance your recovery and cost of living for the long-term.
7. What Is the Timeline for the Case?
Find out from your lawyer how long you can expect the case to take to resolve. Personal injury cases can take a while sometimes, from several months to even more than a year.
The lawyer will let you know the statute of limitations for the case, and will make sure that the case is filed and resolved within that time so that you can recover your payment.
8. Can You Provide References?
Be sure to ask the lawyer to provide you with references of people that they have helped in the past. This will let you know that they are capable and that there are previous clients who vouch for their work.
Consider their reputation in your area as well, and choose a lawyer that has plenty of quality reviews.
Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer
Knowing what to ask a personal injury lawyer will help you move your case ahead. When you have any sort of personal injury case, you will need the assistance of an attorney who understands the law and the most effective legal strategies for winning.
The Dejeu Law Firm would be happy to hear more about your case. We handle car accident, truck accident, worker’s compensation, dog bites, and other personal injury cases.
If you or someone you know suffered injuries because of someone else’s fault, we would be happy to talk to you, to learn more about your case and explain how we can help.
For questions and case reviews, send us a message or call (843)907-9764.
