Did you recently lose a loved one due to medical malpractice? Are you still healing from injuries you sustained in a car accident? Regardless of the situation, you could have a personal injury case on your hands.
Before pursuing a lawsuit, it’s important to find an experienced personal injury lawyer who can take your case. There are currently over 135,200 personal injury lawyers in the country. How do you choose the right one for your situation?
Here are five questions to ask a lawyer during an interview. By asking these questions, you can find an attorney capable of winning your case.
Get started with this helpful guide today!
1. Are You Experienced With My Situation?
First, it’s important to find a personal injury lawyer with the experience you need. While there are over 135,000 personal injury lawyers, not all have the same specialty.
What type of case are you pursuing? There are many sub-categories under personal injuries, including:
- Auto accidents
- Premise liability
- Product liability
- Medical malpractice
- Defamation
- Assault and battery
- Slip and falls
- Animal bites
You can even separate these categories further. For example, you might want to find an auto accident lawyer with experience pursuing motorcycle cases.
Road traffic crashes are predicted to become the fifth leading cause of death in the world by 2030.
Look for a lawyer who has the specific experience you need. Make sure they’ve practiced for a long time in your area, too. In some cases, laws and procedures can differ based on your location.
2. Do You Have Courtroom Experience?
Make sure your personal injury attorney has experience trying a case in court as well. Otherwise, you might end up with a lawyer who is apprehensive about going to court. They might take a lower settlement for the sake of avoiding a courtroom case.
3. What’s Your Success Rate?
Once you find a personal injury lawyer with the experience you need, ask about their success rate.
How many cases have they won since they started practicing? How many cases have they won that are similar to your case?
Their success rate can give you peace of mind about their abilities.
4. Can I Speak With Previous Clients?
Before hiring a lawyer, ask if you can speak with some of their previous clients. You can also find reviews online by visiting the Better Business Bureau website. Check the Martindale-Hubbell directory as well.
Ask the clients about their experience working with the attorney. Were there any issues?
Do they regret the lawyer they chose? If so, continue your search.
5. Can I See a Contract?
Don’t forget to review each lawyer’s contract in detail before hiring them. What fee structure do they use? A lawyer who works on a contingency fee basis won’t request payment unless they win your case.
Ask how they track costs and expenses before signing a contract, too.
Make Your Case: 5 Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer
Don’t rush to choose a personal injury lawyer. Instead, make sure to ask these five questions first. By asking these questions, you can choose the right lawyer for your lawsuit!
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Amanda Byers is a graduate of Columbia, where she played volleyball and annoyed a lot of professors. Now as Zobuz’s entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, she enjoys writing about delicious BBQ, outrageous style trends and all things Buzz worthy.
