If you are considering hiring a personal injury attorney to represent you after a serious accident, you are likely confused, overwhelmed and maybe scared. These are all appropriate reactions to have.
In addition to the medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering you are going through, you now face the battle of getting compensation for your injuries. This can be extremely difficult if you don’t have a personal injury attorney.
Hiring the right lawyer is key. For some, it may be one of their biggest choices in their life. So how can you be sure you get the decision right? By asking the following three questions:
- How much will this cost me? Winning a personal injury case requires a great deal of patience and resources on the part of your attorney. Any lawyer worth their salt that handles accident cases operates on what is known as a contingency fee, meaning you don’t owe anything – including attorney fees – unless you win your case. A lawyer should have the resources to hire experts, hold depositions, collect evidence and prepare for trial. Don’t go cheap when it comes to hiring an attorney.
- Will hiring a lawyer be worth it? If you have the right attorney, it shows the defense team that you mean business. If your attorney has a strong track record of going to trial and winning – rather than simply reaching settlements – that is a good sign. Accident victims that hire a lawyer on average get settlements that are three-and-a-half times higher than people that try and handle their case on their own. In the case of a serious wreck, that could mean hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- Is this lawyer qualified? Look at the potential lawyer’s resume. Is there enough experience on there that shows they know what they are doing? How many trials has your lawyer finished? What were the results/settlements of their biggest cases, or at least cases similar to yours? Ask the hard questions and get a feel for the kind of compensation that may be coming your way.
Use these questions as a starting point in your search for an attorney. Do more research and take your time before hiring a car accident attorney.
