Finding the right personal injury lawyer for your case is one of the most challenging things one can find themselves in.
After all, whether you will win or lose your case will directly depend on them. Therefore, choosing the exact one is more than necessary. Otherwise, a wrong decision of yours is enough to cost your entire case, which you will certainly never want, even in your wildest dreams.
So how to find one?
Fortunately, there are some questions to ask a personal injury lawyer, following which you can easily develop an overall idea about the lawyer before hiring them. Moreover, the more questions you will ask, the clearer things will become for you.
What are you waiting for? Let’s begin our journey:
Top 10 Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer
Many people, without knowing what the right questions to ask a personal injury lawyer before hiring, mostly end up with the wrong one—eventually making things worse for them are.
You will be surprised to know but asking around 10 to 12 important questions is enough to know whether that lawyer is the exact one for you or not.
To simply put, you don’t need to ask tons of questions; instead, a few is enough to do the trick.
Here are the top 12 questions to ask a lawyer explained in detail that everyone must ask while hiring one:
1. How much do you charge for your services?
Generally, personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. Meaning, you will not have to pay anything until you get your rightful compensation in the lawsuit.
Now the question may arise how the lawyer then charge their billing based on which protocol?
Well, don’t worry. They basically will take a fixed percentage of the money that you will receive upon the case dismissal.
This percentage will be finalized when you will hire them. Hence, make sure to know and check the percentage before signing any papers. After all, it is better to be safe than to regret it later.
This percentage rate usually varies from case to case and can be within 20%-40% or more, depending on the severity of your case.
2. How many years of experience do you have in this field?
It is one of the crucial questions that you must definitely ask a lawyer. The more experience they will have in handling a case, the more they can use their expertise and skills in your case to make it a stronger one. After all, as in any other area, experience matters and plays a crucial role!!!
Now that you are on these subjects, make sure to ask them their case winning rate. It’s better to be frank in these types of matters as these will help you to develop a general idea about their proficiency.
3. Do you have any previous experience in working on a similar case like mine? If yes, did that case go to trial?
Every case varies from one another and has its own kind of complexities. That’s why the ideal option is to hire a lawyer who has experience in dealing with this similar kind of case.
It will certainly make things easier for you, and you can also get a certain kind of assurance in your heart.
However, it’s a common misconception of people that if a lawyer has the experience, then s/he can handle any kind of case, while it is somehow true. But not completely. If your case comes with a lot of complexities, then it will definitely be hard for that lawyer if s/he has no sort of knowledge whatsoever.
4. What kind of issues do you see in my case?
Every kind of personal injury case come with different kind of disputes and complications. It is one of the tricky questions that you can ask a lawyer.
If they are experienced enough and know how to deal with these kinds of cases, they will be able to answer your questions with ease. And in case they fail to answer these questions, it will ultimately indicate a red flag.
5. How often will you notify me about the progress of my case?
Communication is the key medium of any relationship and is a crucial component for any case. Therefore, make sure to ask them if they have any specific time to attend your call, or you can call them at any time you need their help or not.
After all, they are the person who has decided to stay and guide you until the case. They should be there to help you whenever you need them. Otherwise, if you don’t find them at the most crucial time, it will be the most heartbreaking thing.
6. What will happen if I lose my case? Do I still have to bear any case-related charges?
It is another important question that you must definitely ask a lawyer. So listen carefully!
It is contingency-fee-based, so you don’t need to pay any fees or extra charges upfront. Instead, you need to pay a fixed percentage of money after winning the case.
However, as each lawyer is different, they may have a different policy setup. For instance, many lawyers may charge you the filing fees, medical record retrieval fees, etc., While some lawyers may not charge you at all.
That’s why it is better that you know about these terms and conditions beforehand. So you can prepare yourself based on that.
7. How much time do you plan and allocate for a case? What is your current caseload?
After getting injured severely, you will definitely want your lawyer to handle your case with the utmost attention and care you truly deserve. It is a general question that you must ask your lawyer to understand how much time s/he usually takes to resolve a case.
While asking these questions, make sure to know who will be in charge of your case. For instance, if s/he will be a senior layer or a less experienced one, qualifications, expertise, etc.
8. What will happen if my case goes to trial? Will it affect my fees?
It is normal that you may not get your desired result in the settlement, or the insurance companies may deny paying your rightful compensation. As a result, you may feel the need to go to court.
That’s why it’s more than necessary that your lawyer knows how to talk and negotiate with the insurance companies.
However, if the result is unsatisfactory and you have to go to court, make sure that your lawyer can handle it and clarify the fees to avoid any future confusion.
9. Are there any testimonials or references from any of your previous clients which I can see?
Nowadays, lawyers tend to keep their clients’ testimonials on their websites. However, if you don’t see any testimonials on their site, you can always ask them—especially if they say they have several years of experience and a high success rate.
10. Do you have any awards or certifications under your name?
Everyone will like to hire the best lawyer to fight their case, especially if it is complicated. So, if you are looking for a top-level lawyer with several years of experience and a high success rate, then this question is a must to ask. Why?
Well, it is because any awards or certifications by a legal organization are one of the marks of the top lawyers to identify them.
Final Thoughts
Finding the exact lawyer is one of the most hectic and stressful jobs you need to do after going through a severe injury.
That’s why, to help you around, we have made a list of the top 10 questions to ask a personal injury lawyer. They will certainly help you to evaluate the overall strength and expertise of a lawyer.
If you are still having second doubts, then just trust your instincts and hire one who makes you feel comfortable and reliable the most. And in case you don’t feel right talking with a lawyer, even if s/he has tons of experience and success rate, you should move on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to know before hiring a personal injury lawyer?
Before hiring a personal injury lawyer, you must have a good overall idea about some crucial points. Otherwise, you will regret it later in case things don’t turn in your favor. Hence, make sure to know about them, such as the kind of cases they handle, fee and billing policy, case success rate, who will be in charge of your case, etc.
Is it worth hiring a personal injury lawyer?
Of course, it is worth hiring a personal injury lawyer to handle your case. Whether your injury is minor or major, you must hire one as soon as possible. Right from collecting evidence to doing all paperwork, negotiating and fighting for your case in court, and making it a strong one, they can be a true savior at these difficult times.
How do I choose a good personal injury lawyer?
Choosing a good personal injury lawyer is one of the most difficult things. After all, whether you will win or lose the case will somehow entirely depend on your lawyer’s expertise. Hence, choose one wisely. You can follow some criteria for choosing a good lawyer, like evaluating their experience, winning rate, how much attention they pay while talking, their fee structure, etc.
What will happen if my case goes to trial? Will it affect my fees?
It is normal that you may not get your desired result in the settlement, or the insurance companies may deny paying your rightful compensation. As a result, you may feel the need to go to court. That’s why it’s more than necessary that your lawyer knows how to talk and negotiate with the insurance companies. However, if the result is unsatisfactory and you have to go to court, make sure that your lawyer can handle it and clarify the fees to avoid any future confusion.