When searching for a personal injury lawyer, it’s important to arm yourself with all the information you can get. This attorney will be responsible for bringing you justice and peace of mind, and you have the right to all information available. These questions to ask a personal injury lawyer before hiring them are very common, and you can use them to pick the perfect attorney.
What are your fees? What fees will I be responsible for if I lose the case? Does the attorney work on a contingency basis?
It’s important to know what exact fees you will be responsible for, whether or not you win the case. Most lawyers work on a contingency base, which means they only take a portion of what you win from your case (meaning you don’t pay anything if you don’t win). You should know all of these fees upfront, especially as you may have mounting medical bills.
What is your success rate at trial? How many cases similar to mine have you taken in the past, and how did they turn out?
Most attorneys can provide information about prior cases and results, depending on their jurisdiction. You should definitely take prior case information with a grain of salt; this isn’t a guarantee of your results. However, you can get a better feeling of what your outcome could possibly be.
Who will handle my case? Will there be more than one attorney working on my case?
If you are working with a large law firm, chances are there will be multiple attorneys working on your case. You should know upfront who will be working on your case; not because you don’t trust the firm, but you have the right to full transparency. It’s worth noting that it’s common for multiple lawyers and paralegals to be working on your case, and this helps keep legal fees down. The Lyndsay Markley law team has only 3 dedicated members, so you will always know who is working on your case.
How long will it take to resolve my case?
It’s easy to think that you hire a lawyer, sit back, and let the check come in. But a personal injury case can take months to years, and you likely have medical bills that are piling up. Your attorney should be able to compare your case to other similar cases and give you a ballpark amount of time that it will take the solve the case.
How much time does the attorney have to dedicate to my case?
Most attorneys are handling multiple cases at once, and while they are likely very capable of the workload, you should ask how much time your attorney will have to dedicate to your case specifically.
Can the attorney provide references from past clients?
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may be able to request references from past clients. These past clients could help indicate whether they were satisfied with the attorney’s performance, and might be able to give you tips about what to expect. If you’re not able to request references, check the attorney’s website to see if you can find some online testimonials.
Schedule a FREE consultation with Lyndsay Markley Law by calling (312) 523-2158, or emailing info@lmarkleylaw.com.
