Ruby McKenzie
Over 55 million people were injured in the US in 2020. If even 1% of those resulted in a personal injury claim, that comes out to over 500,000 cases. Personal injuries come in many different forms, but the most common occur as the result of a car accident.
If you think you have a personal injury case, you need to see a personal injury attorney. These cases can get complicated and very confusing, so you’ll need to make sure you and your attorney are on the same page.
The best way to ensure this is to ask questions. In this article, we’ll list some questions to ask your personal injury attorney.
1. How Much Will this Cost?
It’s no secret that lawsuits cost money, so you should make sure that you’re able to afford it before going forward. It’s not uncommon in personal injury cases for a lawyer to work on contingency. This means that the lawyer doesn’t collect a fee unless you win your case.
Keep in mind that there is no guarantee your lawyer will work on contingency. You can try to find a contingency lawyer if you need one, but lawyer’s fees are only part of the issue. Even if your lawyer doesn’t charge a fee, you’ll likely need to pay various court-related fees.
2. Have You Handled Similar Cases?
In law, one of the biggest advantages you can have is experience. A lawyer who’s taken on cases like yours will likely know the best way to handle the case. This is why it’s important to ask them not only if they’ve handled similar cases, but how many they’ve handled.
You might also want to ask them how many of those cases they’ve won. A history of successes bodes well for you and your case.
Chances are a good personal injury lawyer will know how to deal with cases like yours. Click here to find a personal injury attorney that we personally recommend.
3. Will My Case Go To Trial?
Statistically, the answer is almost guaranteed to be no. More than 90% of personal injury cases settle out of court. However, you need to ask your lawyer anyway, because you need to make sure they’re willing to go to trial for you.
Some lawyers are known for settling out of court. While there’s nothing wrong with settling, their reputation might make the other party assume you won’t go to trial. They might make lower settlement offers in hopes that your lawyer won’t want to go to trial.
Knowing that trial is a possibility will also give your lawyer more reason to gather evidence for your case. Defending your claims in front of a judge will require a convincing case, and you’ll need evidence to make it work.
Things to Ask a Personal Injury Attorney
When looking for a personal injury attorney, it’s important to ask the right questions. We’ve talked about a few of these questions and why they’re important in this article, but there’s always more to learn.
You can find more legal information and advice, or info on many other subjects, by looking around our site.
