If you're considering hiring a personal injury attorney to help you recover an insurance settlement or to sue the at-fault driver after a car accident, chances are you'll be able to correspond (online or off) with a handful of candidates free of charge. Here's what to keep in mind:
- Getting a free consultation usually starts with narrowing down your car accident attorney search to a short list of candidates.
- In order to find the attorney who's the right fit for you and your case, it's important to ask the right questions during these free consultations.
- The lawyer's experience, their case management strategy, and financial matters are great topics to touch on in your first meeting (virtual or real world) with a car accident attorney.
How Do You Go About Getting a Free Consultation?
Since you've visited this page, you might have noticed a number of site features that can help readers submit information about their potential car accident claim to lawyers who are ready to help. Sharing a few details about your car accident and your injuries could put you on the path to a free case evaluation and/or consultation. That's one way to connect with a car accident lawyer in your area, but it's not your only option. Learn more about starting your search for a qualified personal injury lawyer, and then narrowing down your search to a handful of candidates you might want to reach out to for a free consultation.
So, with that list in hand, what kinds of questions should you ask once you and a candidate car accident attorney connect?
A Car Accident Lawyer's Qualifications and Experience
It makes sense to begin your meeting with questions about the attorney’s background, qualifications and experience. The attorney should be familiar with vehicular and traffic statutes in your state and municipality, and should be well-versed in the practical aspects of taking a car insurance claim from early settlement through each stage in the personal injury lawsuit process. Examples of questions related to the attorney’s qualifications and experience include:
- How long have you been practicing law?
- How much of your practice consists of car accident cases?
- How many cases like mine have you handled in the past, and what were their outcomes?
- How many car accident cases have you handled that included injuries similar to mine?
- What next steps should I expect if I decide to sue?
- What sets you apart from other car accident attorneys?
Case Management and Legal Strategy
Other areas you should be sure to touch on with a car accident attorney at your initial meeting include how your case will be managed, what the attorney’s legal style tends to be, and their typical strategy in handling a car accident claim. You want to make sure the attorney’s style matches what you are looking for. Here are a few questions to consider:
- Who will be handling my case on a day-to-day basis?
- Will I receive updates on progress in my case, and if so, how often?
- What is the best way to reach you and how long will it typically take to receive a response?
- Which decisions will I be making regarding my my case, and what decisions will be left to you?
- Is your approach with the opposing side adversarial or cooperative?
- What is your philosophy on settling a case vs. suing and going to trial?
- What questions will I get asked at a car accident deposition?
- How long do you think my case will take?
Car Accident Case-Specific Inquiries
Many car accident cases are straightforward from the attorney's point of view, but the client still wants to hear answers to specific questions. The free consultation provides you with an opportunity to discuss the facts of your case with an attorney and to have key questions answered (to the extent they are answerable at the outset). For example:
- What are the strengths and challenges of my case?
- I was using my phone at the time of the accident. Will that affect my ability to recover compensation?
- I overheard the other driver say he did not see the stop sign. Will that be admissible in court?
- The other driver’s insurance company wants me to see a doctor of their choosing. Do I have to do that?
- The police did not come to the scene, and no police report was filed. Will that hurt my case?
Fees and Costs In a Car Accident Case
Finally, you should discuss the fees and costs associated with your potential case, specifically:
- Do you work under a contingency fee agreement? What is the contingency percentage? Is it fixed or scale?
- Will I be responsible for the costs associated with my personal injury case?
At the end of the consultation, you should have a good feel for whether you are comfortable with this attorney, whether you trust them, and whether they'll be a good fit for you and your car accident case. Learn more about when you might need a lawyer for a car accident case and get in-depth information on working with a personal injury lawyer.
And if you're ready to reach out to a legal professional's help now after a car accident, you can use the features right on this page to connect with an attorney in your area.