Many people go their entire lives without suffering from an injury. They believe they won’t ever suffer because of their past, but unfortunately, this isn’t the case.
When there were 55.4 million injuries in the United States in 2020 alone, it’s obvious that it happens more than you think. In some cases, you’ll need help with a personal accident case when another person caused your injury.
Finding the right help is critical if you want your personal injury case handled correctly. Ask a personal injury attorney the questions below to determine if they can handle the job.
1. Have You Handled Cases Like Mine Before?
There are many types of injury cases in the personal injury field. From medical malpractice cases to auto accidents, there are different things to consider for each case.
Someone who specializes in cases like yours will likely be a better choice for the job. They will already know the ins and outs of the case, which will increase your chances of winning. Location can also play a crucial role here, for example, if you’re dealing with a personal injury case in Norwalk, then you should hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Norwalk, CT.
Be sure to ask the attorneys you interview about their case history and how it relates to your case. You want to see a track record of wins for cases like yours.
Go to Alpha Accident Lawyers to learn more about lawyers with accident specialties.
2. What Are Your Fees?
Fees are one of the most important things to consider in a personal injury lawsuit. Not every case is open and shut. You may end up working with an attorney for a long time.
This is a problem if you hire someone hourly. Hourly fees for lawyers cost a lot, which means you may run out of cash before you have a chance to settle your case.
For lengthy cases, it makes more sense to work on a contingency. You won’t have any fees upfront if you go this route. Instead, you’ll pay your lawyer only if they win and use a percentage of your settlement for the fee.
3. Will You Keep Me Updated About My Case?
One problem many people face when working with lawyers and other professionals is the lack of updates. They hire someone who can handle the work but barely hear about their progress.
You’re already dealing with a lot when you get injured, so you don’t want any more stress by wondering what’s happening with your case.
Ask attornies how they handle communication. You want to hire an attorney near me who keeps you regularly updated and returns your communication requests promptly.
4. How Is Your Availability
You don’t have to rush everything about your personal injury case. You can take time to gather evidence and prepare documents correctly. But that doesn’t mean you can take too long to handle everything.
Depending on where you live, you’ll have time limits for your case. You need to file by a specific date and be sure to comply with court deadlines.
You may run into problems if you hire a lawyer that’s too busy. Some attorneys take on too many clients and leave themselves overwhelmed.
Be sure to ask about someone’s availability before you hire them to ensure they can fit your case into their schedule.
5. Will You Handle My Case Personally?
The attorney you speak with at a large law firm won’t always be the person handling your case. Large firms will get well-known figureheads to speak to new clients and convince them to sign with the firm. But once someone signs with the law firm, the case gets passed to an associate.
Keep in mind, though, that there’s nothing wrong with this happening. The person assigned to your case will probably be able to handle your case and help you win. But it’s something you should know about before signing a contract.
Try to speak with the person who will handle your case beforehand. Doing this will help you vet them the same way you would an individual attorney.
6. Are You Willing to Go to Trial?
Even though many accident cases get settled behind closed doors, that won’t always be the situation. If the other party or insurance company believes they don’t owe anything and can get out of paying, they will probably take things to trial. It may be more cost effective for them to do this if they believe they have a good case.
You don’t want to hire an attorney who is hesitant to take things to trial. Before you hire an attorney, check to see if they have any history of going to trial.
Going to trial and winning means someone is willing to go above and beyond to help you win your case. It may not be a big deal if someone hasn’t gone to trial before, but it’s something extra to look for.
7. Can You Provide References?
You shouldn’t take an attorney’s word that they can handle your case. Even if someone tells the truth about their abilities, others will always embellish their abilities and not be the right fit for the job.
This is where talking to previous clients helps. You can learn all the negative parts of working with a lawyer when you speak with people who have been through the experience before.
Try to get a few references from an attorney you can speak with. You can also check online reviews if you want more information.
Don’t Take the Search for a Personal Injury Attorney Lightly
You have a lot of the line when dealing with a personal injury case. You’re dealing with your injury, complex legal issues, and financial issues. You can’t afford to hire a personal injury attorney without the qualifications for the job.
That’s why you must ask the right questions before you hire an attorney. Be sure to ask the questions above to find the right person to handle your case.
Head back to the blog to find more advice for handling other important life situations.
