Unless you suffered an injury from a car accident before, the process of seeking compensation from a negligent party through a personal injury claim may be almost entirely foreign to you. You may even be unsure of what questions to ask when you meet with a car accident lawyer for the first time.
The initial consultation may be the most important meeting that you’ll have with a lawyer. You’ll likely base the decision to retain them as your legal representative on the information that they provide during the consultation. Knowing what questions to ask is important to avoid hiring a lawyer who’s not a good fit for you or your case.
Here are the top questions to ask a car accident lawyer during the initial consultation.
Do You Have Experience Handling Similar Cases?
Although many personal injury attorneys take car accident cases, this personal injury area may not be their specialty. It’s vital that you work with a lawyer who has sufficient experience handling cases similar to yours so that you feel confident entrusting your case with them.
You can gauge an attorney’s experience through the number of years they have been in practice in the area of your crash and the number of cases that they have successfully resolved. If they don’t have testimonials or case results on their website, ask that they describe a few recent cases, with an emphasis on how they resolved them.
How Many Cases Similar to Mine Have You Taken to Trial?
Although most car accident injury cases are resolved through negotiations with the insurance company, some are not. For example, the insurance company could propose a low-ball offer and be unwilling to budge.
If that happens with your case, you’ll need to know that your car accident lawyer has the skills and experience to argue cases similar to yours before a judge or jury.
What Will Your Role Be in My Case?
With attorneys at large personal injury firms, many aspects of a case may get delegated to other employees, decreasing their direct involvement in a case. It could turn out that the attorney consulting with you will be spending little time on your case. Your main point of contact may not even be the attorney, but rather a paralegal.
Therefore, it’s essential to find out how involved your attorney will be with your case from the beginning.
What Is My Case Worth?
When it comes to personal injury law, no two cases are exactly alike — especially with car accident cases. The extent of the injuries, the degree of negligence, and other factors make each case unique.
Because of this, general formulas and calculators can’t be counted on to determine what a settlement will yield. An attorney, however, can provide you with a ballpark range during the consultation.
What Will It Cost to Handle My Case?
Most car accident attorneys take cases on a contingency basis. This means that you pay a fee only if the lawyer wins your case. Depending on whether your claim concludes with a settlement from negotiations with the insurance company or a court trial, the fee can range from about 33% to 40%, according to the American Bar Association (ABA).
However, the contingency fee usually only covers litigation costs. Other costs that will be deducted from the settlement may include those associated with obtaining accident reports and medical records, filing court documents, consulting with expert witnesses, and hiring an investigator.
If the attorney does not explain their payment terms during the consultation, it’s important that you ask.
Were You Injured in a Car Accident?
A car accident attorney can make all the difference in a personal injury claim. By asking key questions during your consultation, you can find the right attorney for your case.
Were you or a loved one injured in a car accident? The seasoned team at Schiff & Associates may be able to help. Call to schedule a consultation with an experienced Columbus, Ohio, car accident attorney today.