5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

If you have been hurt in an accident, you may be talking to more than one law firm. The first conversation is also your chance to learn how a firm actually works. These five questions are a good place to start.

1. Who will actually handle my case?

At some firms the attorney you meet is the attorney who works on your case. At others, much of the day-to-day work is handled by paralegals or case managers, with the attorney stepping in at key points. Neither is automatically wrong, but you should know which model you are getting and who your main point of contact will be.

2. How much experience do you have with cases like mine?

An attorney who regularly handles motorcycle crashes, trucking accidents, or premises liability claims will know the usual disputes in that type of case. Ask how many similar cases the firm has handled and whether they have taken any to trial, not just settled them.

3. How are you paid?

Most injury lawyers work on a contingency fee, meaning the fee is a percentage of the recovery and you owe no attorney fee if there is no recovery. Ask for the percentage, whether it changes if the case goes to court, and how case expenses are handled. Get the answer in writing.

4. What do you think the next steps are?

A good first conversation should leave you with a clear sense of what happens next: what records the firm will request, what deadlines apply, and what you should and should not do in the meantime. Be cautious of anyone who promises a specific result or dollar amount before reviewing your records. Nobody can promise that.

5. How will you keep me updated?

Ask how often you will hear from the firm and how. Slow communication is one of the most common complaints people have about any professional service, so it helps to set expectations at the start.

A note on advertising

Law firm ads and lead websites are marketing. A firm paying to be in front of you is not a sign of the quality of its work, in either direction. Check a lawyer's license with your state bar, read independent reviews, and trust your own sense of whether they listen.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different, and only a licensed attorney who has reviewed your situation can advise you on yours.