I always assumed that personal injury cases where pretty straight forward. After being in an accident, any financial losses that you suffered would be reimbursed by the liable party's insurance company. Unfortunately, things only work this way in a perfect world. In the real world, personal injury cases are extremely complex and getting the insurance company to pay a fair settlement requires the expertise of an experienced injury lawyer. Unfortunately, it took me several months to finally seek out the legal assistance I needed. As a result, I waited much longer than necessary to get the compensation I so desperately needed. During this time, I learned more about personal injury law than I ever thought I would. It is my hope that this blog will allow me to share that knowledge with you so that you can avoid making some of the same mistakes that I did.
Car accidents often mean hiring a personal injury attorney. You may already have a list of questions in mind when you first speak to an attorney. However, some victims neglect to ask the attorney about their experience with cases like your own. Read on to find out more.
Cases Can Be Similar
Every car accident case is different. However, cases can share some of the same factors. For instance, if your accident was caused by a drunk driver, ask your attorney if they have dealt with any drunk driving accident cases in the past. They may be glad to tell you some general information about what makes a drunk driving case different than others. Many drunk driving cases involve the other driver being charged with a crime and that can influence your case. Ask your attorney about their experience with any of the below situations that might be appropriate:
Use your lawyer's experience to learn more about your own situation.
Winning Matters
Don't be shy about asking the attorney about their success with previous cases as well. Ask them if, overall, they are pleased with their success rate with accident cases. Also, ask about settlements versus court cases. Many personal injury lawyers encourage their clients to settle a case if possible. Settlements can be good for clients who want to be paid quickly without taking their case to court. However, some cases must be litigated in court. Chances are that settlements will outnumber court cases by quite a lot. At the same time, your lawyer needs to be able to put on a good case in court and win a judgment for you.
Too Soon for Numbers?
Your first meeting may not be the best time to learn about potential monetary damages. Your lawyer will evaluate the information you brought to them and make some determinations. Fault, medical costs, and other factors affect settlement amounts. Your medical records must be obtained since that is one of the biggest indicators of pain and suffering. You can speed things along by supplying your lawyer with information about lost wages, out-of-pocket medical expenses, and your health status.
Soon, you and your attorney will decide on how much to ask the other side to pay you. The more you know about your case, the better able you are to make decisions about it. Speak to a personal injury lawyer to find out more.
Share