Your free case evaluation appointment is a great opportunity to get a feel for the law firm and lawyers you may be working with for your personal injury lawsuit. It's also a great time to ask questions! There are no stupid questions, at least not to us. Any honest lawyer who has your best in mind is going to be able to provide you with clear answers in an upfront manner and won't pressure you into making immediate decisions. Every personal injury lawsuit is a serious matter, and as such should be met with specific desirable qualities if a lawyer is worth their salt.
Answer Questions On Your Own FIrst
In preparing for your case evaluation, there are a few things you can do to make sure you get the most out of it. This is a great time to connect with your potential lawyer and ensure that you fully understand what you're getting yourself into. We recommend you:
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Are they worth your time? Ensure they're properly credentialed and handle cases like yours before going any further.
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Check if answers to your questions are on their website: Great law firms try to continually provide you with information that helps answer the most common questions.
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Write down the remaining questions and bring them to the case evaluation meeting: When put on the spot, it can be difficult to remember the questions you wanted to ask. By writing them down and bringing them with you, you're sure to get them answered.
Recovery after a traumatic personal injury can be difficult and may limit your ability to do your due diligence and prepare. We want to help save you some of the hassle and time, so let's take a look at the types of questions you may want to ask at your case evaluation to ensure you're working with the right personal injury lawyer for your case.
Questions About The Lawyer and Firm
You will be speaking with the law firm or even the exact lawyer who may be taking your case, so it's important to ask them these questions to see if it's a good fit.
- How many years of experience do you have as a lawyer and how many years of experience dealing with cases similar to mine?
- How much do you charge to take on cases like mine? (Pro tip: Find yourself a lawyer or law firm that works on a contingency fee basis.)
- Are you prepared to go to trial for me if that's required?
- Are you peer-review ranked? If so, how does that determine your credibility?
- Who would be my main point of contact? Am I dealing with you directly or a legal team?
- How much communication can I expect from you and/or your legal team through the process?
Questions Specific to Your Personal Injury Case
Every case is different, and it's important to ask questions specifically relating to your case! Here are some we recommend asking:
- What kind of resources do you have that can help my case (i.e. databases, knowledge of past cases, etc)
- What are the chances that my case will go to trial?
- How much participation will you need from me during the process?
- How much compensation or what kind of results do you think we could get in regards to my case?
- Will you be pursuing a lawsuit in my case or will you be pursuing other avenues for my case?
- What are your fees?
Be Prepared to Answer Questions, Too
There are questions that the legal team will be asking you as well to determine if you have a case and what your case may entail. You can expect that they will ask questions about the incident, the parties involved, your injuries, the cost of your injuries, and the circumstances surrounding the incident. The more details you can provide, the better. It's recommended that you write down as much as you can remember about these things as soon as possible after the incident and to collect all paperwork and receipts relating to the incident to be used if necessary.
If you've been injured as a result of someone else's negligence, fill out a free case evaluation and we'll be in touch. We recommend doing all of the things that we discussed above before your case evaluation takes place for the best possible experience! We're happy to look into your case and answer all of your questions.