If you are someone who is facing personal injury, choosing the right personal injury lawyer is one of the most crucial aspects of your case. It is only when your case is handled effectively that you can actually receive compensation for your injuries. However, finding out which lawyer can handle your case the best is not easy. So, you must know what questions you must ask when hiring a personal injury lawyer. This article brings you the top 10 questions you must ask before you make a decision about your personal injury lawyer. These questions will help you know about their experience in such cases as well as their understanding of your case in particular.
Top 10 Important Questions To Ask When Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer
Following is a detailed explanation of what questions you must ask before hiring a personal lawyer and why.
Question Number 1: Do You Have Experience In Handling My Type Of Personal Injury Case?
The first and foremost thing you must ask the lawyer is whether they have prior experience in handling your type of personal injury case. Before handling your case in their hands, you must know if they are even capable of handling your case. You must also ask them about the number of years they have been practising law. The track record of the lawyer in handling a case with the type of injury you have incurred.
Question Number 2: What Is Your Success Rate For The Type of Injury Cases Similar To Mine?
If you are someone who wants to make an informed decision, you must also inquire about their success rate in past cases similar to yours. This will help you know whether they can actually get you the compensation you are demanding. A high success rate will make it clear that you are hiring the right personal injury lawyer. You may also look for other specific injury cases they have handled and the amount of settlement. This will help you evaluate how relevant and trustworthy they are.
Question Number 3: Who Will Handle The Work Of My Case In Your Office?
This is also one of the important questions you must ask before hiring your personal lawyer. In many cases, the senior lawyer handles the initial consultations while the juniors end up handling most of the work. You need to know who is going to handle your work in their office and how the senior lawyer supervises his juniors. You must ensure that all your documents are reviewed thoroughly by the senior lawyer. This is to make sure there are no errors or mishandling in your personal injury case.
Question Number 4: What Philosophy Do You Follow When Solving Cases Like Mine?
Another important question you must ask your personal injury lawyer is about the philosophy they follow in similar cases. You must know whether your lawyer tends to opt for settlement or trial. In case your injuries are minor, settlement is the best option. However, if your injuries are severe, a trial becomes necessary. You must clear this with your lawyer beforehand and ensure you and them are on the same page.
Question Number 5: Will You Keep Me Updated With The Proceedings?
This is also one of the most important questions people must remember when hiring a personal injury lawyer. Communication between you and your lawyer plays a major role in the proceedings of any legal case. Hence, you must ensure your lawyer keeps you updated about the proceedings of your case. You should not have to nag and chase them for an update on the progress. Knowing where your case is headed will help maintain control over your case. The mode of communication must also be confirmed.
Question Number 6: Do You Have Enough Resources To Take My Case For Trial?
If you are someone who has incurred fatal or serious injuries, you should know that taking your cases to trial will require significant resources. So, you must ensure your lawyer has enough resources for that. A severe injury case requires witness testimonials and life care planning as well. You must ask if your personal injury lawyer has funded such cases in the past. Lack of proper financial resources may comprise your representations in the case.
Question Number 7: Do You Have Past Client References To Share?
If the lawyer you are handling your personal injury case is capable and reputed, he will definitely have past client references to share. Having a direct conversation with the people they have provided their services to will help you trust them more. This will also help you ensure that the lawyer will get you the best compensation possible for your injury. Hence, you must not hesitate to contact their former clients for your own peace of mind.
Question Number 8: Will You Take Up Other Cases While You Are Working On Mine?
Many law firms these days take up a huge number of cases at the same time. The lawyer handling your case might also end up juggling multiple cases at a single time. This might largely affect your representation in the case. You must ask your lawyer how many cases they are currently handling apart from your case. It is also important to know who in their office will focus on your case only. This will help you ensure your case gets sufficient attention from the lawyer.
Question Number 9: What Fee Structure Will You Follow For My Case?
It is also important to make sure you and your personal injury lawyer are on the same page regarding the fee structure. There are mainly two fee structures prevalent in such cases. The first structure is the hourly billing charging fee based on the hours spent. On the other hand, the second method is the contingency fee structure, which takes up a percentage of the compensation you receive. You must ensure you discuss the percentage or hourly charges beforehand to avoid any future surprises.
Question Number 10: What Will Happen If I’m Not Satisfied With Your Legal Services?
It is important to understand that no lawyer can guarantee success in any particular case. You might have to face disappointment as well. You must ask your lawyer about what happens if you are not satisfied with the legal services they provide. Make sure you know if you can terminate the agreement signed between you and your lawyer. Knowing what to do in case of disappointments or dissatisfaction will keep your mind at peace.
