In order for you to achieve the best possible outcome in your personal injury case, you’ll need to make sure that you’ve retained the services of the right lawyer. Figuring out whether you’ve selected the right personal injury lawyer or not can be difficult, however.
In order to obviate this difficulty, there are a number of questions you should ask any personal injury lawyer before you allow him or her to handle your case. To assist you in the selection of your lawyer, we thought we’d share those questions with you.
Questions to Ask Your Personal Injury Lawyer
First, you want to inquire about the lawyer’s body of work and experience. For this reason, you should ask questions like, “How long have you been practicing?” Also, you should specifically ask how many personal injury cases the lawyer has handled, if the lawyer you’re speaking with handles different areas of the law.
You should also ask a prospective lawyer about what areas of law and personal injury he or she specializes in. You want to make sure that you’re hiring a lawyer who’s familiar with cases of your sort – whether it’s a slip and fall or car accident, for example – as that experience can prove invaluable.
Once you’ve hired a lawyer to handle your personal injury case, you will be entering into a relationship with that lawyer. For this reason, you’ll want to gain an understanding of what you can expect. Therefore, ask the lawyer if he or she will be handling your case directly, and, if so, whether or not you’ll be able to communicate with him or her at your convenience. Given how stressful a personal injury case can become, you want to hire a lawyer that will tend to your needs.
If the lawyer informs you that he or she will not be handling your case directly, find out who will be. Also note that some lawyers will not directly handle personal injury cases if they go to trial, and they will instead hand the case off to someone else in the practice. Find out if this is the case, and be sure to speak with the lawyer who would be handling your case if it were to go to trial.
Now, remember that lawyers are, ultimately, in the business of making money. In some cases, personal injury lawyers will take on more cases than they can or should. Therefore, ask the lawyer how many other cases they are currently working on, and ask them honestly if they’ll be able to take on yours.
Finding the Right Lawyer
Of course, if you’re going to interview lawyers who could be handling your case, you need to find them first. There are a number of online resources available that are perfect for finding a personal injury lawyer, but you’re ultimately better served looking for a reference from a friend or relation that you trust. The lawyer you select will be crucial to the success of your personal injury claim, so make sure you do your due diligence and that you select the correct person.
