Top Questions To Ask Your Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or somebody you care about has been injured through the negligent actions of another individual or entity, you may need to turn to a personal injury lawyer in Laredo as soon as possible. However, most people do not deal with lawyers on a regular basis, and there are certain questions that you should ask any prospective attorney you think about working with.
What is Your Experience With Cases Like Mine?
It is important to choose a lawyer who has experience handling cases similar to yours. Ask about their success rate and any notable cases they’ve worked on. You may be able to find some of this information on the attorney’s website, but you can also look at the Google reviews for that particular attorney. The key is to find an attorney who has handled your type of case.
Not all personal injury lawyers will necessarily have significant experience handling a catastrophic injury truck accident case, for example. Perhaps you have a unique premises liability claim. You would want to make sure you have an attorney with experience handling premises liability law cases in Texas.
How Will You Communicate With Me About My Case?
Good communication is key in any lawyer-client relationship. Find out how your lawyer plans to keep you informed about the progress of your case and how you can contact them with any questions or concerns. One problem with many law firms is that they will use a well-known lawyer to get people in the door, but that does not necessarily mean the experienced attorney will handle the case.
What you need to know is that you will have a dedicated attorney handling your claim. You do not want to be put off to a paralegal or legal assistant. You want an attorney fighting to recover the most compensation available.
What is Your Fee Structure?
Personal injury lawyers in Texas usually operate on a contingency basis, meaning they will receive a percentage of any settlement or award. Under this type of fee arrangement, clients will usually pay zero upfront costs related to their case, which is helpful. Often, individuals do not have the resources to go against insurance carriers or other legal teams on their own. Under a contingency fee arrangement, individuals will also not owe any legal fees if the attorney does not win the case.
How Long Will My Personal Injury Case Take?
It’s natural to want a resolution to your case as soon as possible, but it is important to understand that the legal process can be slow. Ask your lawyer about the estimated timeline for your case and any factors that may affect it. If you end up working with a skilled personal injury lawyer with extensive experience handling these claims, your attorney will likely be able to give you a ballpark estimate of how long your case will take. However, please understand that there are various factors that can affect the timeline of a claim that an attorney may not know upfront.
How Much Compensation is Available?
You certainly will want to know how much compensation is available for your claim, and again, an attorney may be able to give you a ballpark estimate. However, no lawyer will be able to give you a definitive answer about how much compensation you should receive right away. Even if you and your Laredo accident attorney are able to add up all of your expenses, there will likely be a negotiation process that could change the expected amount.