“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it’s for or against. ”
-Malcolm X
Frequently Asked Questions
Injury lawyers have different areas of expertise. Finding a personal injury lawyer who has experience fighting cases like yours will give you the best chance to win your injury case.
There will be delays an injury lawyer may not be able to control, but an injury lawyer should have some idea how long cases like yours have taken to settle in the past.
Most injury lawyers are paid on a contingency fees basis and will only be paid if you win your case. If you win they are paid a percentage of your injury award, but if you lose, they do not get any money. Injury lawyers, however, do charge different rates. For instance, some injury lawyers may be paid up to 40% of your compensation amount. Make sure you understand the rate you will be charged before signing a contract.
Keep in mind there may be some out of pocket expenses you will have to pay such as filing fees, copies and transcription fees even if you do not win your case.
Most personal injury lawyers offer a free consultation to review your case. At this meeting you should be able to discuss your case, receive some basic information and get some general questions answered.
Everyone has horror stories of hiring a lawyer and never hearing from them. Make sure you can contact your lawyer quickly when you have concerns about your case.
A personal injury lawyer should review your case and be able to give you an estimate of potential damages you will receive if you win your case. Damages can be estimated after examining the following factors: physical and mental pain and loss of enjoyment of life, economic hardship or financial loss, impairment of future earning capacity, and physical impairment and disfigurement. Your payment amount can also vary or be completely eliminated in some states if the court determines you were partially or fully responsible for your injuries.
Discuss with your injury lawyer the size of their staff, the number of paralegals, and their means to hire investigators and experts to handle your case.
Talk to the injury lawyer about the number of years they have been practicing injury law, what types of cases they have worked, and their success rate.
Personal injury lawyers may handle many cases at one time but you should be aware of the continued status of your case. Make sure you and your lawyer can come to an agreement about how and when they can be contact for updates.