Being prepared before stepping into a courtroom with your personal injury attorney is a priority that stands above all others. Whether it be with a doctor, repairman or housekeeper, when beginning a new professional relationship, it is of the utmost importance to ask some initial questions. This professional, however, will make all the difference in the future of your health and your finances.
How long have you practiced law?
- As with any specialist, it is important to know how much experience this person has within their field. Depending on experience, you can get a lot of insight into how similar cases may have gone in the past.
- It has also been noted that lawyers who have just graduated school with recent scholastic knowledge may be just as effective in some cases, but generally veterans are considered far more reliable and worth the cost.
Who are your typical clients?
- Your potential lawyer should ideally be able to relate to you. That is, their typical clientele speaks for the effectiveness with which their attorney can defend particular demographics. For example, someone who works primarily with high-profile clients and corporate scandals may not necessarily be the best for a domestic dispute and vice versa.
How relevant is my particular situation to your practice?
- This question is related to the typical client question, except inverted. How much experience does this person have supporting or defending against the case in which you are involved?
- At this point, it is exact figures that matter. Do not be afraid to inquire the statistics of your potential lawyer’s track record. How many cases similar to yours were won or settled?
Do you think my case will win?
- Now that you have insight to their experience, their clientele and their track record- it is time to ask the real question. If you feel this person is someone you can trust and you feel they will be honest, ask about the likelihood of a favorable outcome.
- Obviously your potential lawyer has no way of telling the future, but given their experience and relationship with your case, they should be able to give you an idea of what to expect from the experience. For instance, if your case is going to be a very rough, uphill battle, your lawyer should be able to inform you of that.
- In other cases, the attorney may be able to make suggestions of how to handle this situation outside of court or through other legal routes that may be less expensive, emotional or time-consuming.
How much will I be required to pay? What are methods of payment?
- Considering your potential lawyer has good rapport and you feel that you can trust them with what is on the line for you, it is time to discuss the factor of costs. The attorney fees and legal bills could be eligible to be completely disputed through paralegals and there may be options to reduce cost.
When hiring an attorney, cover all bases and get the information you need. The best guarantee to winning your case is by finding to find an experienced, reputable personal injury attorney who is dedicated to getting you what you deserve.
