Anybody who’s ever dealt with a personal injury case can say that the process can be especially tedious and stressful. In most cases, your insurance company will only offer to give you the amount due to you, and you’ll have to spread this evenly to cover your losses and medical bills.

But here’s the good thing: you don’t have to go through the nerve-racking task of negotiating for a fair settlement alone. With the right legal representation, you’ll have someone to oversee the process and give you advice on the proper steps to take.

Of course, finding the right lawyer to assist you in your personal injury lawsuit can be a whole production in itself–but it doesn’t have to be.

The good news is that you can gauge if a personal injury lawyer is a good fit for you by asking several important questions. To know what these questions are, keep on reading the article below.

 

Question 1: Will you be able to handle my case?

Cases can be a handful, and some lawyers take too many of these at once. So, make sure to check in with your lawyer first if he or she will be able to devote time and energy to the work that you require.

The right lawyer will be able to tell you outright whether they are full or not. They may still, of course, be busy but not enough to neglect your case.

 

Question 2: Have you ever worked on any case that has similar facts to mine?

When working with a lawyer, you don’t just need their time–you also need their expertise and experience in the field. Good thing most lawyers specialize, so there’s a chance that the lawyer you’re eyeing will already have established enough knowledge on the ground.

 

Question 3: What is your success rate for similar cases like mine?

As a good follow-up to the previous question, you should also ask this. After all, a lawyer may have handled similar cases like yours before, but what if they don’t have a strong winning record? Even worse, what if they are consistently losing prosecutions or haven’t gotten proper compensation for their previous clients?

 

Question 4: Can I ask for your contingency fee?

The thing about most personal injury lawyers is that they work with a contingency fee. This means that you and their firm will agree that you will only pay for your legal fees once your compensation has been issued.

Of course, the percentage of the fee will differ from one attorney to another. In cases of high-profile lawyers, they may even ask up to 40% of the settlement. However, you can still negotiate for a percentage that is comfortable for you.

 

Question 5: What will my role in this lawsuit be?

It’s important to level with your attorney first and foremost. So, ask them what they will be expecting from you and how involved they will need you to be. The preference from one lawyer may vary. For some, they work best without a client pressuring them to wrap up, but others may take to this approach quite well.

 

Question 6: How long can I expect a resolution?

A good and experienced lawyer should be able to give you a general time frame for this. However, they should also be able to explain to you how unpredictable settlement agreements and court cases can be. The timeline that he or she initially offers may still drastically move sooner or later.

These are just some of the fundamental questions that you’ll need to ask before you commit to hiring a lawyer – best of luck to you!