5 Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Personal Injury Lawyer
Personal injury lawyers are those lawyers who specifically practice in law concerning bodily harm, financial loss, or mental anguish due to the direct or indirect actions of another. When hiring a personal injury lawyer, certain factors need to be taken into consideration, as the exact nature of the lawyer's work, experience, and time allowance can dramatically influence the outcome of your case. So before you hire, make sure to ask:
How Do You Issue Fees?
Fees for legal services run a wide gamut - while some lawyers charge an initial consultation fee, others might charge a flat fee, hourly rate, or contingency fee. When hiring your personal injury lawyer, contingency is usually your best bet - this type of fee means that you only pay the lawyer a certain percentage of your award if you win the case. This keeps your overall cost low, and saves you from liabilities in the form of fees or expenses that could easily add up to more than your initial award.
What Is Your Specialty / What Organizations Are You Part Of?
Like doctors, lawyers tend to specialize in very specific fields. Hundreds of organizations exist for specific types of legal practice, such as the National Trial Lawyers Medical Malpractice Association, The American Association for Justice, and the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys. Finding your attorney's affiliation and specific area of practice can help you ascertain your chances at winning your case, as more specialty-oriented lawyers will often be better equipped to deal with your specific issues.
Do You Have The Time For My Case?
Attorneys are extremely busy - according to an Arkansas State Legislature investigation, the average caseload for a state attorney in 2009 was 106 cases. In private practice, this number can skyrocket. Ascertaining whether or not your attorney has enough time to devote to your case can be just as important to your victory as the evidence you may present.
What Is My Case Worth?
Unfortunately, some legal disputes are more trouble than they're worth - if you are pursuing a malpractice suit, for instance, that will net you a very low amount, regardless of whether or not your case is justified, it may simply not be worth bringing it to court.
Filing fees, the cost of taking time off to testify, insurance costs, and more can make pursuing a legal challenge extremely expensive, and the best person to give you this estimate is your lawyer. Visit http://caminezlaw.net for more information.
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