Top Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
About 2.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries take place each year. All of these could translate to personal injury cases quickly, and these figures don’t even include other sources of injury.
If you’re looking to get compensation in a PI case, you’re far from alone. However, finding the right personal injury attorney is essential when getting justice. Read on to learn some questions that you should ask before hiring a PI lawyer.
Who Will Handle My Case?
This is the very first question that you need to ask because it lets you know exactly who you’re working with. Many law firms will designate cases to partners other than those who initially consult with you. Learning who exactly will be responsible for your case lets you inquire about the experience and credentials of a specific attorney, making it a good jump-off point to ask more questions.
How Much Experience Do You Have?
You’ll want to know how much experience the law firm handling your case has as well as the experience level of your specific attorney. Consider the number of years that they have been practicing law.
You want someone who has already won a lot of cases- don’t leave your fate in the hands of an amateur. Never hire someone who has handled fewer than 10 cases, but understand that this is a low number. The more cases a law firm or attorney has handled, the more successful your case will likely be.
Were Any Previous Cases Similar to Mine?
“Personal injury” is a broad legal category, so you should never assume that your lawyer has handled cases like yours before. Chemical contact injuries will have different case requirements than slip-and-fall accidents, which will have different needs than car crash injuries.
Ask about their experience and results when it comes to cases similar to your specific situation. You don’t want to hire a lawyer that has exclusively won worker’s comp cases if you’ve been in an Uber accident. You want someone who can work within your PI niche.
What Fees Will I Need to Pay?
Most PI lawyers work on the basis of a contingency fee. This means that you won’t need to pay anything unless you win the lawsuit and get money. At this point, the lawyer will take a percentage of your winnings, usually between 25-40%.
Contrary to what you may think, you actually should hire a lawyer with a higher contingency fee. Those who only take 25% likely do not have the experience, education, or skills to win a case.
How Much Time Can You Give to My Case?
Lawyers take on multiple clients at once, which means that no individual will get their undivided attention. However, you want to get an attorney who has ample time to devote to your case despite having other clients. Ask how much time they can give to you and stress that you want to file the case immediately.
Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney Today
Now that you know the questions that you need to ask a personal injury attorney, it’s time to begin inquiring.
At Overholt Law, we’re committed to helping you find the best professional to handle your case and answer all of the pressing questions that you may have. Contact us to learn more about our lawyers, our experience, and more.