If you have been in a car accident or sustained another type of injury as a result of someone’s negligence, the process of finding a good personal injury attorney to represent you can seem challenging. This is especially true because there is so much attorney advertising out there that does not really inform prospective clients about what they need to know in order to choose a good attorney.
Just as person going to a doctor needs to be a careful medical consumer, a person choosing an attorney needs to be a wise consumer of legal services. Here are some questions that you should ask an attorney you are considering hiring for your accident case.
1. Can you provide me with a sample of your fee agreement? (Ask for a full explanation of fees and costs, and how they are calculated.)
2. How many years have you been handling personal injury cases?
3. How many years of trial experience do you have?
4. Do you also have experience representing insurance companies in personal injury cases? (This kind of experience gives your attorney insight into how claims adjusters and insurance professionals evaluate cases.)
5. Do you have any judicial experience? (Working as a judge gives an attorney an objective view of what happens in the courtroom.)
6. Do you carry errors and omissions (malpractice) insurance?
7. Do you use a computerized case management program that will allow me to access all of the important documents in my case by logging on with a password?
If you are not satisfied with the answers you receive to these questions, do not hesitate to schedule an appointment with another experienced personal injury attorney.