If you have a personal injury case to pursue, there is no time to spare. In Connecticut, you must file your case within two years of the incident.
While time is of the essence, you can’t rush your search for a personal injury attorney. Fortunately, we can help with that. Here are some helpful questions to ask before you hire an attorney for your case!
1. What Are Your Qualifications?
Attorneys will likely have a law degree with only a few state exceptions. Still, all attorneys will have passed the Bar exam and hold a license to practice law in your state.
However, you may have specific needs for your case. If so, ask why this attorney is qualified to handle your case, including their experience with personal injury law, specialized educational backgrounds, and more.
2. How Long Have You Practiced Personal Injury Law?
You want an experienced personal injury lawyer representing you for a personal injury case. That should come as no surprise.
Ask how long they’ve practiced in this area and if that has been their primary focus. A more generalized attorney may have handled a few personal injury cases over the last decade, but that doesn’t mean they have over a decade of full-time personal injury law practice.
Also, you can ask more pointed questions beyond this. For example, how many of their personal injury cases went to trial? What was their success rate?
3. Have You Overseen Similar Cases?
Although you want a personal injury lawyer to oversee your personal injury case, it is still a relatively broad field. Therefore, you may want to ask the attorney if they’ve had similar cases to yours, especially if yours had special circumstances.
For example, if your personal injury case is against a current or former employer or falls under special jurisdictions (oil rigs, healthcare facilities, etc.), you may want more specialized legal services.
4. Do You Foresee Any Issues With My Case?
Now is an excellent time to ask about your specific case. Do they foresee any challenges, delays, or issues with it?
Before filing a personal injury lawsuit, you want an idea of the attorney’s strategy. Do they think settling the case beforehand will be best (95% of personal injury cases settle pre-trial)? Do they believe you can win a trial if it comes to that?
5. What Are the Costs?
Not only should you ask about their fees, but how much will you have to pay if you lose the case? This is one of the most important questions, as it could have an enormous financial impact later.
Hire the Right Personal Injury Attorney
Now that you know some questions to ask a personal injury attorney before hiring them, start as soon as possible. Search for an experienced personal injury lawyer in your area and ask as many questions as possible. Remember, this is a significant decision.
Keep reading our blog for our latest legal tips, and contact us with any questions regarding our experience or your case!