If you have sustained injuries from a car accident, there are two routes that you can usually take: you can trust the insurance company to provide you with the appropriate settlement or you can discuss your situation with a personal injury lawyer.

Meeting with a personal injury attorney might be a new experience. Chances are, a lot of questions will be swirling around in your head. In order to get the most out of your meetings with potential attorneys, there are specific questions you should ask. These questions will help you decide which attorney is best equipped to handle your case.

How many personal injury cases like mine have you handled?

There are many types of personal injury cases, so when meeting with potential personal injury lawyers, it is important to figure out if they have handled personal injury cases like yours before. Ideally, you would want a lawyer who has years of experience handling cases like yours. It’s better if your lawyer is a master in one specific practice area than having someone who is the jack-of-all-trades.

Will you be the attorney who handles my case?

Sometimes, when you meet with law firms, the lawyer that you sit down with may not be the one who will work on your case. It is very important to meet with the lawyer that will be handling your case. You don’t want your case to be passed off to an associate.

What problems do you foresee with my case?  

Not all personal injury cases are cut and clean. There will be problems that come up. Ask your attorney if they foresee any problems that might come up with the case so that you both can sit down and come up with a great plan of action. 

What do you need me to do during the case?

 The attorney client relationship is a partnership. You and your attorney will be working towards the same common goal. Throughout the journey, you’ll be communicating and consulting with each other regularly. In order to have the best working relationship with your attorney, you need to be open and honest with them. You also need to ask what they expect of you as well.

What areas of law do you specialize in?

There are many types of lawyers such as civil rights lawyers, divorce lawyers, corporate lawyers, etc. When finding a lawyer to represent you, you want one that will be experienced in field of law that your case falls under. Ask the lawyer you are speaking to what areas they specialize in. You want a lawyer that has the experience and expertise in your particular problem. Ask yourself this, how effective is a divorce lawyer going to be when it comes to a personal injury case? An attorney specializing in personal injury will be best able to represent your particular case.

What is the contingency fee?

The contingency fee is a fixed percentage of the reward money that the client pays to the lawyer if they win the case. Contingency fees are usually brought up in cases where money is being claimed, such as a personal injury case. The contingency fee is often negotiable and depends on how serious or severe the damages in your case are. Make sure to discuss the fee with any lawyer you speak to before work on your case starts.

If you or a loved one experienced an injury due to an auto accident, medical malpractice, or any other type of personal injury, please contact The Cochran Firm today.