Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer
Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer
After you suffer injuries in an accident that someone else’s negligence or recklessness caused, you may be seeking compensation through a personal injury lawsuit or insurance claim. To navigate these processes, you need a personal injury attorney on your side. Before you make a decision to hire an Orange County personal injury lawyer, make sure to ask these questions to ensure that he or she is the right fit for you.
How Much Are Your Legal Fees?
If you are suffering from injuries due to someone else’s negligence, you may feel like you have to handle your claim yourself because of how expensive legal fees can be. However, you would not have to worry about these fees if the firm operates on a contingency fee basis. Most personal injury firms will take an agreed-upon percentage of your final settlement as payment for winning your case.
In addition, if the attorney does not secure a settlement for you, the law firm will not charge you any legal fees. You should opt for hiring an attorney who operates on a contingency fee agreement for maximum affordability. This arrangement is not only beneficial to you, but it also incentivizes the attorney to win your case.
What Practice Areas Do You Have Experience In?
Before you hire an Irvine personal injury attorney, you need to ensure that he or she has experience working with your type of case. You would not want to hire an attorney who specializes in DUI accidents for a case of medical malpractice, for example. You want an attorney who has significant experience in medical malpractice.
You want an attorney who knows how to handle your case because that experience gives him or her knowledge of the strategies, arguments, and processes necessary to secure your settlement. An attorney who specializes in your practice area will also have access to resources and experts to help establish your case.
What Is Your Firm’s Record of Success?
When you hire a personal injury attorney, you are putting your faith in him or her to win your case. To get a sense of how likely it is that this attorney is a worthy investment, ask him or her about the firm’s success rate. Although the results of different cases do not guarantee how yours will end, a high success rate proves that your San Bernardino injury lawyer has the ability to secure compensation on your behalf.
How Familiar Is Your Firm with the Courtroom?
Most personal injury cases start with an insurance claim that your attorney will negotiate with the insurance company. These companies prefer to settle outside of the courtroom, meaning that it is likely you will not have to proceed to the lawsuit stage. However, insurance companies can refuse to settle in some circumstances and you will need to go to court.
In these situations, it is important to have an attorney who is comfortable working in a courtroom and has the power to take your case to that lawsuit level. Ask the attorney if the firm has the capacity to bring your case to the court if the insurance claim does not end in a settlement. In addition, ask the attorney how experienced he or she is in that courtroom, for instance if your case is in Huntington Beach; you want an attorney from there. If he or she says the firm cannot bring your case to court, has limited trial experience, or seems unsure about your questions, find a different attorney.
Who Will Be Handling the Case?
Some firms pass off their workload to inexperienced junior attorneys, paralegals, case managers, and other staff members with less legal training. You want your attorney to have the lead on your case to produce optimal results. The firm may have their staff members process paperwork and other routine processes, which is normal. Ask your attorney who you will be working with throughout your case.
Understanding how a personal injury lawyer operates, what his or her background is in, and how the firm plans on handling your case are all important factors in finding the right attorney for you. For best results, start contacting potential personal injury attorneys as soon as possible after your accident.