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If you’ve suffered an injury as a result of someone else’s negligence or oversight, the best thing to do is hire an attorney to help you with your claim. But, before you hire a lawyer for your personal injury case, you need to ask them some important questions first. Knowing what questions to ask a personal injury lawyer will help you sort through your options and hire the firm that’s going to provide you with the best legal representation and overall service.
Keep reading to find out what questions to ask so you can identify the best personal injury lawyer in Anaheim.
1. How Long Have You Been Practicing Personal Injury Law?
One of the first questions to ask a personal injury lawyer is how many years have they been working on personal injury cases like yours.
The longer a lawyer has been practicing personal injury law, the more experience they will have, and the better equipped they will be to secure a fair settlement for you.
2. Have You Handled Cases Similar to Mine?
Another way you can gauge an attorney’s experience is by asking them if they have handled other cases that are similar to yours.
Not only will this give you an idea of their past experience, but it can also give you insight into how they will handle your case.
If a potential lawyer says “Yes, absolutely, last year I had a client with an almost identical case”, ask them about the case outcome. If they won that case, and others like it, this is a good indication that they’ll win yours as well.
The best attorney to hire will be the one that can show you a list of case results similar to yours. If they can do this, you can take this as a definite sign that they have the expertise to handle complex cases and win just settlements.
3. Do You Have Courtroom Experience?
While you’re on the topic of experience, also make sure to ask whether the attorney has any courtroom experience.
Movies and TV shows make it look like lawyers spend most of their time fighting cases in the courtroom, but this is a far cry from reality. Taking a case to trial is costly for both parties. Because of this, most personal injury cases get settled during negotiations.
According to statistics, only 3% of personal injury cases go to trial.
However, if your case has to go to trial, you want to be able to rest assured that the lawyer you hired has courtroom experience and knows how to handle a judge and jury.
You also want to make sure that you don’t hire a lawyer who advises you to accept a low settlement offer, purely because they have never fought a case in court before.
4. What Is Your Fee Structure?
One of the most important questions to ask a personal injury lawyer is how you will be billed. Before you hire an attorney, you should have a clear idea of their fee structure.
A lot of personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. Under a contingency fee structure, you don’t pay any legal fees upfront. Instead of billing you per hour or charging a retainer, the lawyer charges a fixed percentage of your settlement.
This lowers the financial barrier to getting legal help and makes the cost more predictable. Instead of facing escalating costs, you will know exactly what cut of your settlement you will need to pay to your attorney.
Another benefit of contingency fees is that you won’t be liable for payment unless your attorney wins the case and you receive a settlement.
However, be aware that there might be certain other costs you will need to cover, even if the case is unsuccessful. These can include things like:
- Costs for filing
- Costs for essential clerical activities
- Medical record retrieval fees
Some law firms will charge you for these whether you win or lose. Others will absorb the costs.
Neither arrangement is necessarily better. Ultimately, you’re best off with a personal injury lawyer who’s experienced and capable over one that’s not, even if you have to cover additional expenses that are needed to further your case.
The important thing is to clarify the details of the payment structure ahead of time.
5. Who Will Be Handling My Case?
During your initial consultation, you might meet with a senior legal partner, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be the lawyer who handles your case.
Therefore, ask who your attorney will be. Is it one of the partners, do they work as a team, or will your case land on the desk of a less experienced lawyer?
6. What Is Your Success Rate?
If you want to find the best personal injury lawyer in Anaheim for your case, make sure to ask about success rates. If the attorney hesitates or tries to deflect the question, either the firm doesn’t measure its success rate, or they don’t want to disclose it.
Here at Katella Injury Attorneys, we pride ourselves on maintaining a 99% success rate.
You can also ask the attorney to show you client testimonials or references.
Now You Know What Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you’re looking for the best attorney for your personal injury case, it’s critical that you know what questions to ask. Enquire about their experience and success rate, and ask if they have handled cases that are similar to your own. You should also get clarification on their fee structure and check which attorney will be handling your case.
Now that you know what questions to ask a personal injury lawyer, the next step is to set up consultations.
Katella Injury Attorneys is an Anaheim law firm that specializes in personal injury cases. We have years of collective experience and an excellent record of success.
We have connections to the best medical providers in Anaheim, operate on a contingency basis, and are available 24/7.
Contact us for a free case evaluation.