4 Questions To Ask When Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer
Feb 18, 2023 00:09
No matter how careful you are while driving, sometimes you can be involved in an accident. This is true since other drivers aren’t as careful as you’re. You’ve got the right to file a compensation lawsuit if you suffer damages in a car accident that wasn’t your fault. Some of the damages you can recover in an injury claim include hospital bills, loss of earnings, punitive damages, damage to the marital relationship, disfigurement, and even death.
While that’s the case, filing an injury case and securing compensation can be very difficult. This is why you need to hire a personal injury lawyer. The right legal service provider will represent your interests in the courts and use their expertise to negotiate a better settlement. They can also help you to gather and document evidence to increase your chances of winning the case. But you must choose the best attorney for your case.
Here are important questions to ask when hiring a personal injury lawyer.
1. How Much Will You Charge For The Case?
One of the most considerations when selecting a personal injury lawyer for your case is the fee they charge. Many lawyers work on a contingency basis. In other words, they work under the principle of “no win, no fees.” This means that you aren’t going to compensate your attorney unless you win the case.
The contingency fees are usually a percentage of your settlement. Ask what percentage the lawyer will charge. You may also want to know whether the legal fee they charge covers other things like creating documents and posting them. Knowing how much an accidents lawyer will charge for the case helps you plan your budget and make an informed decision.
2. How Long Have You Provided Personal Injury Legal Services?
The success of your injury case and the amount of compensation you get will majorly depend on the experience of your lawyer. Someone with adequate experience will efficiently represent you in court to ensure you get justice.
Experience increases with time. This is why you need to know how long the solicitor has provided legal services before you hire them. Strive to find an attorney with several years of work experience.
Also, ensure you hire a solicitor who has tried cases like yours. If you’re filing a car accident case, find a lawyer who has dealt with several cases. This is important since you might not want the like of your case to be the first one the hired lawyer is handling. As such, you’ll maintain your peace of mind and enhance your recovery. Before you sign a deal with the lawyer, ask how long they’ve been on the market and how many clients with cases similar to yours have they represented in the courtrooms.
3. Can You Provide A Few References?
Any personal injury lawyer you meet will promise to offer better services or representation. Most will try to convince you that they’ve successfully represented thousands of other clients. Don’t believe them unless they provide a few references.
Asking for references involves requesting contacts of their past clients to ask them about their experiences with the attorney you want to hire. If many are happy with the lawyer’s services, you can keep them on your list of potential legal service providers.
Indeed, asking for references can be a great approach to finding a reliable personal injury lawyer. But you must be very careful since an attorney may decide to provide contacts of only the happy clients. Ensure you develop a strategy to ensure the references are randomly selected. For instance, you can request contacts of clients who they served in a particular month or from a particular location. This way, you can get unbiased opinions to help you make a wise selection.
4. What Is Your Availability?
Whether you suffered minor or male injuries in an accident, you may want to hire a lawyer who can give your case the attention it deserves. For that reason, hire a lawyer with less bandwidth. And if they’re currently serving many clients, confirm they’ve enough staff to handle your case.
Many accident cases have a limited timeline for filing a lawsuit. A slight delay can hurt your compensation. This is why you need to hire a lawyer who is available to deal with your case immediately.
Takeaway
Filing an injury case can be overwhelming, especially for non-legal experts. Therefore, you can lose the case if you decide to go alone. For that reason, you should consider hiring a personal injury lawyer. But with so many on the market, it can be daunting to decide who is right for your case. Fortunately, you can ask the questions in this article to ensure you find the right attorney for your case.