ShareTweet

5 Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer

When you head into an initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer, you should be prepared to ask your own questions. The consultation is a two-way street. It is a time for an attorney to get to know you and your situation in order to offer an educated opinion about your next best steps. It is also a time for you to get a feel for the attorney and the firm to determine if this is the right place for you and your case. This consultation is also the best time to think about questions to ask the personal injury lawyer you might hire.

If you were injured in an accident, contact the personal injury lawyers at Studinski Law, LLC at (715) 343-2850 to discuss your case. We are here to talk with you about your situation, explain your rights, and discuss your potential options.

Be Sure to Speak With an Attorney

Some firms will send a paralegal or assistant to conduct an initial consultation. This eliminates your ability to talk directly with a lawyer who will ultimately handle your case. You may not be able to receive answers to you need to make a decision about who to hire. You also miss out on the opportunity to gain a first impression of a lawyer before hiring them. When you contact a firm regarding a consultation, be sure to confirm you will speak with an attorney who will be directly involved in your case. Paralegals are heavily involved in all stages of litigation, however, so it is also important for you to know the team members who will be working on your case.

5 Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer

While there are many inquiries you can make during an initial case consultation, here are five questions you should not leave without asking:

1. How long have you practiced personal injury law?
You may be most comfortable with an experienced and well-practiced lawyer handling your case. A young attorney is not necessarily ill-equipped to handle your case; however, they are more likely to encounter an issue for the first time that a more experienced attorney has seen before. Hiring an attorney with decades of experience can be particularly important if you have a complex case. It is also essential to work with an attorney who specifically practices personal injury law. An attorney who focuses on another type of law is going to be less helpful than a personal injury lawyer, even if they have a few more years of experience.

2. Have you handled cases like mine before?
Within the area of personal injury law are a number of different niches. Your best chance of obtaining a successful outcome with your case depends on working with a lawyer who knows how to handle issues similar to your own. You should ask a potential lawyer about whether they have represented clients who were hurt in similar types of accidents or suffered similar types of injuries as you.

3. Can you show me successful outcomes in similar cases?
It is not enough to know a lawyer has handled cases similar to your own. You want to hire an attorney who has worked on these cases and helped obtain successful outcomes, such as settlements or court awards. Ask a potential attorney for outcomes in similar cases.

4. How do you communicate throughout a case?
When you hire an attorney, you want to be confident that your counselor will keep you in the loop at all times. Ask about the best way to get a hold of your potential lawyer, such as whether they are more likely to answer the phone or an email. Also ask how quickly your attorney typically responds to messages or reaches out with updates on the case.

5. What is your fee?
You should not leave a consultation without fully understanding how the attorney charges for their time. Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis. Under this model, you do not pay up front or hourly fees, and in most cases you will not owe anything unless your case is successful. Instead, a certain percentage of your recovery is paid to your attorney.

Contact Our Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyers Today

If you were injured in an accident and now you have to deal with insurers to gain compensation, call the personal injury attorneys at Studinski Law, LLC. We want to help you obtain the financial recovery you deserve.

Call us at (715) 343-2850 to schedule a consultation.