If you’ve recently been injured in a car accident, you may benefit significantly from speaking with a lawyer. If another’s negligence, recklessness, or intentionally dangerous conduct caused or was one of the causes of your injuries, you may be able to hold them legally and financially liable in civil court with an attorney’s help.
If you’re hesitant to hire an attorney, know that you’re not alone. Many accident victims struggle to know what questions to ask and what to look for when hiring a lawyer to represent their interests. Consider browsing answers to these frequently asked questions and then write down any additional concerns you may have. Then, you can reference these concerns when you attend an initial consultation at a local law firm that looks like it may fit your needs.
Will I Have to Pay Upfront?
Many personal injury lawyers take certain cases on a contingency basis. This means that you’ll only owe them legal fees in the event that they are successful in securing you a compensation award and/or settlement. You’ll want to ask any lawyer that you meet with whether your case will or won’t be handled on a contingency basis.
Will an Attorney Handle Everything for Me?
As an experienced Northridge, CA personal injury lawyer can confirm, attorneys handle virtually all aspects of a car crash case, from insurance negotiations to pursuing personal injury damages from responsible parties directly. Although you will need to weigh in on the direction of your case, make certain decisions, sign paperwork, etc., a skilled attorney should be able to take as much stress off of your plate as is possible under the circumstances.
What if I Have Questions?
Ask them! The purpose of an initial risk-free legal consultation (which many personal injury lawyers offer at no cost) is to ask questions and receive personalized feedback. If a lawyer’s approach is intimidating to the point where you feel unusually uncomfortable asking questions, they’re probably not the best fit for you.
What Is My Case Worth?
Once a lawyer understands the details of your situation, they’ll calculate the value of your case. They’ll take into consideration the extent of your injuries and how the harm you’ve suffered has impacted your life. They’ll also consider whether you were personally responsible for any of the causes of your accident, which would reduce your overall compensation award value.
Do I Need to Work with Someone Local?
Each state has distinct laws that affect the process and outcome of car accident cases. Working with someone who is relatively local is important, not just because doing so tends to be convenient, because local attorneys understand the laws, judges, court systems, and other factors that are likely to be relevant to any given case filed in a specific area.
Connect with a Reputable Lawyer to Learn More
Not all personal injury attorneys approach the business of client representation in the same ways. By connecting with an attorney, attending a risk-free consultation, and asking pointed questions about what to expect from an attorney-client relationship with that individual, you’ll be empowered to make informed decisions about whether to hire that particular professional or not.
Know that the experienced attorneys who practice at The Law Offices of Barry P. Goldberg take great pride in aggressively advocating on behalf of our clients’ interests. Contact us today for help!
