If you decide to file a personal injury claim, you are going to need the assistance of a personal injury lawyer to assist you with your case and give you the best chance of making a successful claim. However, it can take quite a while to find a personal injury lawyer you feel completely comfortable with. By asking the following 7 questions, you can speed up the process of finding a personal injury lawyer as they will give you an insight into the way they work and how successful they may prove.
- What is their field of expertise? Most personal injury lawyers have a specific area of expertise, be it in auto accidents, slip and fall accidents or any other area of personal injury. It is very important to select a personal injury lawyer who specializes in the area of personal injury law your case falls under, as they will have a greater understanding of the law in this area and be better placed to give you advice throughout your claim.
- Does the personal injury lawyer work on a contingency basis? How much is this contingency fee? If a personal injury lawyer works on a contingency basis, it means that you do not have to make any payments – attorney’s fees, consultation fee, or other legal fees unless your case has been successfully litigated. A personal injury lawyer who operates on a contingency basis will only require payment when they have helped you be awarded a monetary recovery. How much they charge will be a vital element in your choice of personal injury lawyer, especially if your budget is limited. Contingency fees agreement usually can be negotiated, depending on the strength of your case and usually vary between 25 – 40%.
- Has the personal injury lawyer experience handling cases similar to mine? It is highly recommended to chose a lawyer who has experience handling cases similar to yours, as they will have a better understanding of the legal proceedings and be better able to prepare you for each step of the process.
- Will you be the actual attorney who will handle my case? Be wary because you might be very impressed with the personal injury lawyer you meet and talk to, only to find out at the end that he will not be the one handling your personal injury claim. You need to be especially wary of this if you are dealing with a firm which houses two or more lawyers that they can assign in different cases.
- What will my participation be in the lawsuit? Make sure you get your potential personal injury lawyer to make it clear what part you will play in the entire process of filing a personal injury claim, as you need to see, based on your injuries, how much you be able to fit the role your personal injury lawyer sees for you in the proceedings.
- When will my lawsuit be filed? Any potential personal injury lawyer you speak with may be dealing with other cases at the same time as yours. Get a straight answer from him/her about when they will file your claim and how much time they will dedicate to it. If you are not happy with their reply, it may be time to look at other personal injury lawyers.
By asking these questions, you will get a better understanding and feel for the personal injury lawyer you are speaking with, which should help in your decision to work with them or not.
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