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Getting into a car accident can ruin your day. You could even be seriously injured, facing a lifetime of medical hurdles. You know that you may need legal representation to help you get maximum compensation, but you don’t know what questions to ask a lawyer to determine which one is right for you.
Top Questions to Ask a Car Accident Lawyer
When evaluating the right lawyer for your car accident case, it’s important that you ask questions about their experience and their billing. Not all lawyers are created equal and these questions will help you figure out which one is right for you.
What Are Your Fees?
Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. This means that you are only responsible for paying your lawyer if they win your case. When that happens, they will collect your winnings and take their share out of the compensation before sending you the final amount.
You should ask what percentage the lawyer will charge. Most often, this falls between 30 and 40% of the settlement or jury verdict amount.
If I don’t Win, Will I Be Responsible for Any Fees?
In addition to the lawyer’s time and experience, there are certain fees they may not cover for you. Make sure you ask about these. They could include:
- Court filing fees
- Expert witness costs
- Document preparation
These will be additional line-item fees your lawyer will charge, in addition to their contingency fee. Make sure you know what these are in advance, as they could substantially cut into the amount of money you ultimately receive.
How Many Car Accident Cases Have You Successfully Managed?
While past success is no guarantee of a result in your case, knowing that your lawyer has successfully resolved other car accident cases is a step in the right direction. It will show that your lawyer isn’t brand new and has some experience in the area.
How Many Cases Are You Working on Right Now?
Some lawyers take on too many cases at once. Asking this question will give you a good idea if the lawyer has too much on their plate and cannot devote the necessary time to your case. There are certain deadlines your case must meet and if your lawyer is too overwhelmed with cases, they may miss important deadlines which could cause your case to be dismissed.
Will My Case Go to Trial?
While you should ask this question, it’s a difficult one to answer. No one can tell you for sure if your case will go to trial, but if a lawyer answers this question telling you that they can absolutely settle your case, run away.
Your lawyer will aggressively work to settle your case, and the vast majority of cases settle, but no lawyer can guarantee that your case will settle out of court.
How Much Is My Case Worth?
This is another question you should ask, but which is difficult to answer because every car accident case is different. What you’re looking for in an answer is how the lawyer explains what will determine the value of your case. This may include:
- The severity of your injuries (even minor injuries cause millions in medical expenses)
- Your ability to return to work
- Who was liable for the accident
- If you contributed to the accident in any way
- How much damage your car suffered
Be wary of any lawyer who gives you a monetary number. There is no way to accurately determine exactly how much your case is worth.
Who Will Handle My Case?
Many personal injury law firms, especially extremely large ones, put senior partners and the lawyers you see on TV front and center. They may meet with you to discuss your case, but that’s the last time they’ll have anything to do with your car accident claim.
Ask the firm that is going to handle your case. While every lawyer needs to get experience somewhere, you don’t want a new lawyer or one not experienced in car accident cases handling your case.
Can I Speak with Past Clients?
Get references. You want to know the experience of past clients. Any lawyer who refuses to give you contact information for former clients may be trying to hide something.
When you do speak with an attorney’s past clients, ask them about positives and negatives. You want to get a full picture of what it’s like to be a client of this lawyer. Never rely solely on a lawyer’s website or TV commercials.
How Often Will You Communicate with Me?
Too many personal injury law firms are terrible at keeping clients updated on the progress of their cases. You want to know that your lawyer will keep you posted and you won’t have to constantly bug them about where things stand.
Eltringham Law Group Gets Results
For many years, Eltringham Law Group has helped our injured Florida neighbors get compensation after a car accident. Our goal is to help you secure compensation, so your only concern is your health and wellbeing. You should not be focused on how you pay your medical expenses or other financial losses related to your car accident.
Our team will meet with you and review your case at no cost to you. Because there is no obligation, you have no reason not to contact us and find out how we can help you. We only get paid if you win, so don’t delay and contact us today.
Contact Our Attorneys for Help Today
The lawyer you choose can make a difference in your ability to prove another driver was at-fault for your car accident. Proving fault will help you collect compensation so you don’t have to pay even a penny out of your own pocket for your medical bills and other financial losses. Asking the above questions will help you figure out the right lawyer for you.
Contact us online today to schedule your free consultation with our experienced team.
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