Questions to Ask your Attorney
Handling a car, truck or personal injury case takes time. No two cases are alike and each case will take a different length of time to resolve depending on the facts and circumstances of the matter. One factor that an injured client can control is choosing and hiring the right attorney to handle their case.
Question 1 – What Types of Cases does the Lawyer Handle?
Any client seeking representation should ensure that the attorney handles injury claims. In fact, you should ask your lawyer if he or she practices any other area of law, to truly determine if they are a jack of all trades, or a lawyer who concentrates in helping injured victims.
Question 2 – Will I Have Access to My Attorney?
Many clients come to my office after having fired their first lawyer. One common reason is that the client was not kept up to date on their case, and the lawyer never communicated with them. This task was passed on to an incompetent case manager. This is another question that you should ask your prospective attorney regarding who will handle your matter. Make sure you have a lawyer who will communicate with you throughout the process. An attorney that is willing to provide their personal cell phone number so that you can reach them when needed.
Question 3 – Does Your Attorney File Lawsuits and are Willing to Take Your Case to Trial
This is another fact that most clients overlook thinking that their claim will ultimately settle without having to go to court. You should ask your lawyer if he routinely files and tries cases. An attorney who doesn’t is going to take the last and final settlement offer, which at the end of the day may not be a fair valuation of your injury claim. The only way to seek fair compensation is to go to court and have the jury decide. Most lawyers don’t go to trial or don’t have the monetary funds to properly present your case. Make sure your lawyer is willing to go the distance.
Question 4 – Do You Get Along with your Lawyer and are They Open and Honest about your Case
This is often overlooked when a client comes to a lawyers office seeking help. Most lawyers will sugarcoat and up sell a clients case in the hopes of being retained. Unfortunately, these same attorneys will then back track and tell the same client that their case is not worth that much at the time of settlement. Make sure you have a lawyer who will be honest about your case so that you know the expectations of your claim. Also, make sure you get along with your lawyer or can carry a normal conversation as the claims process is lengthy and both the lawyer and client need to be on the same page. Communication is a key when properly handling an injury case.
Other Considerations
At the end of the day, you only have one injury case. This is your one and only chance of getting a fair resolution of your matter. On the other hand, your lawyer will be handling 50-100 other cases. Make sure that you feel comfortable regarding the lawyer you hire. Hiring inexperienced lawyers or attorneys who over promise and under deliver will result in the mismanagement of your case.