People contact an injury attorney when they or a loved one have been harmed because of another party’s negligence. This negligence might affect someone through a car accident, a case of medical negligence, a defective product, or a property that isn’t adequately maintained or kept safe. All these situations leave injured parties vulnerable and in need of trusted guidance. As you consider seeking the support of an accident lawyer or injury attorney, here are five questions to ask a personal injury attorney before moving forward with professional support on a case.
1. What area does the injury attorney specialize in?
Some attorneys include personal injury cases among other specialties like family law or worker’s compensation. Dedicated personal injury law firms or injury attorneys take a wide range of cases related to negligence, though specific attorneys at the firm may be more seasoned in different areas than others. The expertise to pursue a semi accident case versus a medical malpractice case is what sets one personal injury lawyer apart from another. Whatever the reason you need an accident or injury lawyer, make sure to seek out a personal injury law firm that clearly understands the law and legal strategies unique to your situation.
2. What strategy might the personal injury lawyer have in mind for your case?
A civil case like a personal injury case is a complex process of building the story of how the negligence of the accused person or organization caused harm to the individual. This process is different depending on the facts of every case. After the attorney has considered the details of your situation, they will help you start to understand elements like the timeline for the case as well as what work the attorney will be doing to earn their fee. This may also set expectations around additional expenses related to the case like visits to a medical specialist, accident recreation, or expert testimony.
3. What challenges has the accident and injury attorney faced before in cases like yours?
As you discuss the strategy, it’s also important to know how the personal injury lawyer adapts when things don’t go to plan. Talking with them about if and how they have needed to change strategy in situations like yours will help you get a sense of their personality and attitude toward their work, as well as how they will handle your case.
4. How often does the injury lawyer take cases to trial?
Across the US, more than 95% of personal injury lawsuits are settled outside the courtroom. However, many personal injury attorneys work on honing their skills to succeed in cases that do go to trial. It should be clear that the attorney has the confidence and know-how to carry your injury case to court, in front of a jury if needed.
5. What might the accident attorney need from you during the personal injury case?
Last, make sure you understand what will be required of you during the case. Whether you are the injured person or a loved one advocating on their behalf, the process of an accident and injury case will require your involvement in answering questions and maybe giving testimony. Visits to medical specialists, limits on communication and social media use, and certain habits of record-keeping and documentation may also be essential to the success of the case. All this may not be clear from the beginning, but your attorney should be able to set some expectations of how much time must be committed to the case.
Every case is different, so the answers to these questions will be different for each person meeting with an attorney. But the insight gained will help you define whether you want to pursue an accident or injury case. You’ll also understand if the personal injury attorney has a personality and strategy you feel confident working with. That assurance will be worth a lot during the process ahead. If you want to meet with a personal injury attorney in Indianapolis, we hope you’ll consider sharing your story with Christie Farrell Lee & Bell. Our firm has worked together as a team for over 25 years to represent individuals permanently affected by another party’s negligence.
Call 317-488-5500 or reach out to us online to discover your legal options.