If you’ve been involved in a car crash and need help, it’s hard to know who has your best interest in mind — and who is out to take you for a ride. When you or someone you love suffered devastating injuries in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you can’t risk your future on a lawyer who doesn’t have your back.
In this blog, the Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys team outlines six essential questions to ask a personal injury lawyer before hiring them.
Meeting With a Lawyer? Ask Them These Questions
When you need to make a decision about which lawyer to hire, it can be hard to know who is truly ready to fight for you and who has their own best interests in mind. Asking questions during a free consultation is one way to figure out whether a lawyer is a good fit for your case.
Below, we outline six questions that every victim should ask when vetting their potential lawyer.
1. Who Will Be Handling My Case?
Some prominent attorneys are with “big-box” firms that do two things:
- Accept only the easy-to-settle cases
- Refer everything out to other firms so they can claim a referral fee
These lawyers are not equipped to handle complex cases. They’ll simply shuffle you along and collect their fee. And if you ask them who will be handling your case, they won’t be able to tell you for sure. When you ask this question at Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we will tell you the name of every person on our team who will be helping you with your case.
2. What Kinds of Cases Do You Handle Most Often?
Some law firms are willing to take any case that comes through the door if they think it will make them money, even if they’re not experienced or equipped to handle it. When you have a serious personal injury case, you need a lawyer who’s experienced at investigating, negotiating, and taking your type of case to trial (if need be). For example, truck and commercial vehicle claims involve a variety of important federal regulations. If your lawyer doesn’t understand them, you’re at a serious disadvantage. You should never trust your case to someone who doesn’t focus on personal injury claims.
Don’t be shy when you ask a lawyer about their specific experience with complex injury claims. At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we love discussing our track record with potential clients.
3. When Was the Last Time You Took a Case to Trial?
Knowing how many cases a lawyer takes to trial helps you understand if they are prepared and skilled enough to fight for you. Many good lawyers help victims get financial compensation through settlements. Only great lawyers are willing to take a case to trial if it means getting their clients the justice and financial resources they deserve.
4. What’s Your Plan of Attack for Handling My Case?
Any attorney with experience, tenacity, and vision should be able to provide you with a clear outline of how they’ll handle your case. Personal injury litigation can be a complicated process with many steps that you need to understand. Your lawyer should inspire confidence in their abilities and let you know what to expect if you choose to hire them.
5. What’s Your Record of Verdicts and Settlements?
The longer the track record of successful verdicts and settlements a lawyer has, the better. It indicates that you have a skilled professional on your side. Additionally, the insurance company is familiar with all of the injury lawyers in your area and will build its strategy based on who they will be opposing. Successful personal injury attorneys have a reputation that carries as much weight and significance as their skills in the courtroom. At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we’re proud of our reputation for tenacious representation and track record of success.
6. What’s Your Policy on Legal Fees?
Hiring a lawyer is a significant investment. For victims who’ve sustained severe injuries and extensive property damage, the financial burden of retaining a lawyer may seem like too much. At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we want our clients to feel comfortable talking through their options without having to worry about the cost. That’s why we operate on a contingency fee basis — meaning that unless we win for you, you don’t owe us a dime.
RELATED: 5 Reasons to Call a Personal Injury Lawyer
Contact Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys With Your Personal Injury Questions
At Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, we have a long history of assisting people with catastrophic injuries receive compensation for their suffering. For example, we recently helped Carlton, a retired veteran, get the financial compensation he needed after a car crash.
If you or someone you love has been hurt in an accident, please contact Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys to schedule your free consultation with our skilled and experienced Alabama and Mississippi personal injury attorneys. During our discussion, we’ll listen to the details of your case and offer direct advice about potential next steps.
Please complete this brief online form or call our offices at 251-888-8888 today to schedule your appointment.
The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.
Andy is the owner and CEO of Citrin Law Firm, P.C. He founded the firm in 1995 with the goal of helping injured people put their lives back together. His passion for protecting injured people has only grown since he opened the doors of Andy Citrin Injury Attorneys, and he has a history of winning numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients.