Louisiana is expecting a near-record number of fatal car crashes in 2022. In 2021, the 4th of July holiday saw 100 injuries and six fatalities due to auto accidents.
When you are in an accident, you need to focus on recovery. Depending on the severity of your injuries, it may take weeks, months, or years to heal. One of the first steps you or a family member must take is to contact a personal injury lawyer.
You will benefit from hiring an attorney soon after your accident. While you concentrate on getting well, they will handle the legal aspects of your case. This includes negotiating with insurance companies, demanding payment of your medical bills, investigating accident fault, negotiating with opposing counsel, and filing a lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires.
We will share four questions you need to ask during your free consultation with a personal injury attorney.
1. How Much Personal Injury Experience Do You Have?
Personal injury occurs in all aspects of life, including car accidents, medical malpractice, product liability, assault and battery, slip and fall, animal bites, and more.
Most attorneys specialize in a select group of personal injury cases. When seeking legal services, you want someone familiar with laws specific to your case.
Your attorney needs to be familiar with conducting a thorough investigation into your situation, negotiating for an out-of-court settlement, and filing a lawsuit before the one (1) year statute of limitations expires.
Make sure your attorney has trial experience. If they cannot reach a settlement, you need someone comfortable presenting your case at trial.
2. How Much Will I Win and How Long Will it Take?
Attorneys cannot ethically guarantee you a specific outcome in a case. They can give you their estimate. Your lawyer can explain that a final determination will depend on actual costs and your long-term prognosis.
Numerous factors affect how long it will take to resolve your case. Settlement is difficult to determine until your doctors can provide a prognosis for recovery. If you will have a permanent, life-altering injury, this increases the amount of your award.
Other aspects of negotiations impacting the settlement period include comparative negligence disputes, accident investigation results, and more.
3. What Are Your Fees?
During the consultation, one of the most frequent lawyer questions is the cost of representation. The good news is that personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee agreement.
This means you do not pay unless they win your case. The standard contingency fee is around 33% of your award.
In addition to attorney fees, there are costs the attorney deducts from your award. This includes court filing fees, expert witness fees, deposition fees, the cost of obtaining medical records, and more.
You receive the amount remaining after payment of costs and attorney fees. Your contingency retainer will specify if there are any costs you must pay in the event of a loss.
4. Who Will Work on My Case?
Confirm if the attorney you meet with at the initial consultation is the same attorney who will be handling your case. You will also want to know if there is another person on the legal team you can contact with questions or information. This may be a paralegal, legal assistant, or legal intern.
Those who work on the attorney’s team are valuable contacts when the attorney is not available. They can provide case updates, accept documentation supporting your case, and answer procedural questions.
Hire a Baton Rouge Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one are suffering from personal injuries, you need Wright Gray Trial Lawyers on your side. Hiring a personal injury lawyer who is familiar with the laws on personal injuries ensures you will receive the compensation you deserve.
Contact us using our online form or call 888-912-4944 to schedule a free consultation. We will evaluate your case, share the options available, and work aggressively to win your case.