Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer? Ask These 5 Questions Before Hiring One
An American judge talking to a lawyer. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It is important to hire a personal injury lawyer whenever you encounter an injury for which you were not responsible. If you want to get decent compensation from the individual or organization at fault, you must take the professional help as it’s not possible to win over a legal battle on your own. But an inefficient attorney might lead you to a legal disaster and you might have to regret for your choice in future. Hence, it is important to deal with an experienced as well as efficient injury attorney to ensure a fair payout. Since finding one is not a very easy task, asking some essential questions while hiring an injury lawyer might help.
1) Will you be the one handling my case till the end?
You might decide to deal with a reputed lawyer even at a higher cost in order to get assured service. However, make sure he is the one who will handle your case finally. At times, the lawyer whom you contact appoints his assistants to fight the legal battle. Find out exactly who will be handling your case and whom you will contact if you need to know anything. Be clear about who will be the person in charge and make sure you are not spending money to get the case handled by an associate.
2) How will I be involved in the lawsuit?
This is a very important question to ask. Lawsuits are usually all about teamwork. Before hiring the lawyer, make sure you clearly know what your role will be in the entire process, what is expected from you and what is not. If you are extremely concerned about the case, you might like to get more involved. Ask your lawyer if he would allow your involvement or not.
3) Will you be able to get me the best possible compensation?
Personal injury cases are mainly about money. Though there are exceptions, most of the cases focus on how you can get the maximum claim amount. Remember you just get only one chance to try your case and hence it is important to hire a personal injury attorney who will provide you with the best opportunity.
4) What is the prospect of my case?
It is important to discuss the prospect of your case with your lawyer beforehand. Though there are many unknown issues like liability and medical issues involved, the lawyer should at least give you a clear idea and explain the unknowns to you. Think rationally and check if the lawyer makes any promises that seem to be unrealistic.
5) What are the fees that I need to pay?
Though the usual range of contingency fee is between 25% and 40% of the total payout, make sure you ask the lawyer what percentage of money he will take if you get a monetary recovery and try to negotiate it. Also ask if he charges any up-front costs.
Author Bio: Sam Payn is a renowned author and he loves to write on law and finance. In this article, he has discussed the top 5 questions that should be asked before hiring a personal injury lawyer.
Category: Law
