When you’re dealing with a legal matter, you want to make sure the attorney you work with is qualified, experienced, and has the type of plan you are prepared to fall in line with. Even the most popular attorney might not be the most qualified, which is why you need to be prepared to ask your attorney a few important questions before you proceed.
Before getting started, ask your prospective Personal Injury attorney these key questions:
1. What Are Your Qualifications?
Any attorney you work with should have a certifiable education and should have all applicable accreditations to practice law in your area. Be sure to ask any prospective attorney about their background, and find out how long they have practiced Personal Injury law.
2. How Do You Communicate With Your Clients?
Whoever you choose to represent your case will be in regular contact with you until your lawsuit is complete. For that reason, you should know how communication will be handled well before you decide which attorney is best. For example, will your attorney handle all communications himself or will he refer you to his assistant? Will you speak primarily via email or will you have weekly office meetings? Whatever the protocol is for your prospective attorney, you should be aware of it so that you can determine whether or not it will work for you.
3. Have You Dealt With Cases Like Mine in the Past? How Did They End?
Working with someone who has experience working on cases like yours is absolutely crucial. Even if your attorney has extensive experience with car accident cases, that doesn’t necessarily mean he or she has the necessary knowledge about motorcycle crashes. Do not be afraid to ask specific, pointed questions about how your prospective lawyer will use their experience to help you.
4. How Long Should My Case Take?
While the time frame for each Personal Injury case can vary, you want to work with an attorney who has the experience to be able to give you a rough estimate before you get started. Based on their past cases and their own knowledge, your lawyer should be able to tell you if he or she thinks your case may take a few months or a couple of years, at the very least.
5. What Is My Case Worth?
When you first decide to pursue legal action for an injury, one of your first questions was probably about how much your case would be worth. Once you share the details of your situation, your Personal Injury attorney should be able to estimate the worth of your case. If your attorney is unable to give you any type of estimate at this stage, they might not be as qualified as they would have you believe.
Do you think you have a Personal Injury case? Our firm is ready to help. Contact our Chicago Personal Injury attorneys at Leonard Law Group to discuss your case.