When people think of personal injury attorneys, the first things that come to mind are television commercials. Dozens of personal injury law firms all claiming they can get you the compensation that you deserve. If you have suffered from an injury that is not your fault, you know you should call one of these attorneys, but you are probably left wondering how you can possibly choose.
Here is the thing—not all personal injury law firms and their attorneys are the same. Some personal injury law firms will solicit your calls and send them to other attorneys to handle. Others will promise to do what is best for your case, but fail to take it to court when it becomes necessary. You need to be equipped with the right list of questions to determine what personal injury law attorney is the best for your specific case. At Holzman & Associates, we believe in transparency and integrity. This is why we have outlined our top seven questions to ask before hiring a personal injury attorney.
7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Personal Injury Attorney
- Who will be handling my case? If you trust and respect the attorney you are speaking with, you need to ask if they will be handling your case or if another attorney—in their firm or another personal injury law firm—will be. Depending on the personal injury law firm, there is a good chance the person you are talking to will not be handling your case. You have the right to know who will be handling your case and what experience they have.
- Will I have direct access to you? Similar to asking who will be handling your case, you will want to know if you will have direct access to contact your personal injury attorney for questions and updates. A good personal injury attorney makes themself available to assist their clients throughout the legal process.
- How much are your fees? Before you hire a personal injury attorney, you will want to understand how their fee structure works. Most personal injury attorneys are paid on a contingency basis. This means that the amount of their legal fees will depend on the amount of money they recover in your case. If they are unable to recover any money in your case, you will likely either be left paying just a retainer fee or no fees at all. If your case wins some compensation, the attorney will take a percentage of the recovered funds. Trustworthy personal injury attorneys will be transparent with their fee structure.
- What kinds of cases do you handle on a regular basis? You want to ensure that the personal injury attorney you choose to work with has handled cases similar to yours. If you call an attorney for a dog bite or slip and fall accident, and they only handle medical malpractice cases, you should continue on with your search until you find the right match.
- How long have you been handling personal injury cases? Like every aspect of the law, personal injury is unique. You want to hire an attorney that is experienced and understands personal injury law inside and out.
- Are you experienced in taking personal injury cases to trial? Not all personal injury attorneys are experienced in going to court to try cases. The majority of personal injury cases are settled outside of court. As a result, you will find personal injury attorneys that simply do not go to trial or have little experience going to trial. The problem is that you want to know that your attorney can handle your case if it must go to court, and if your case brought to higher courts where even more experience is required.
- Will you go to trial if you believe we have a case? Personal injury attorneys have a responsibility to do what is in the best interest of you and your case. You want a personal injury attorney that is ready, willing, and experienced in going to trial if it is the best option for your individual case. If your settlement negotiations are unfair, you want to know your attorney will support the decision to go to court on your behalf.
For more than 75 years, Holzman & Associates, LLC has obtained substantial verdicts and settlements for injury victims throughout Maryland. Ask around about us! If you believe you are entitled to compensation, contact us at 410-539-4222 for your free consultation.
Recommended Next Read: 6 Steps for Choosing the Best Personal Injury Attorney for You
