If you have found yourself the victim of an accident that resulted in you
being injured through no fault of your own, chances are you will consider filing a personal injury lawsuit to gain compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses. However, when trying to decide which lawyer to hire for your case, the process can be difficult. Rather than picking the first lawyer you find online or in the phone book, it’s best to hire a lawyer experienced in your particular case.
To ensure you select the best personal injury lawyer NYC has to offer, here are some key questions you should always ask before hiring an attorney.
Do You Specialize in Personal Injury Cases?
Before hiring an attorney, always make sure they specialize in personal injury cases, since experience and knowledge in this area will be vital to developing a winning strategy.
What Types of Results Have You Had in Cases You’ve Handled?
If a lawyer is hesitant to tell you results of previous cases or brags about winning case after case, it’s probably best to look elsewhere.
How Long Will it Take to Resolve My Case?
When you ask this question, even the best injury lawyers in NYC know the results can vary greatly. While some cases may be settled in less than a month, other cases that are more complex can take several months or perhaps a year or more to resolve.
How Will We Communicate About My Case?
If your lawyer communicates with you infrequently or always has a paralegal speaking with you, it’s a bad sign, since it probably indicates your lawyer isn’t working very hard on your case.
If I Don’t Like the Insurance Company’s Offer, Will You Take the Case to Trial?
When in need of a personal injury lawyer New York residents should always make sure their attorney will take their case to trial if the insurance company tries to give them an offer that’s much lower than a judgment they could receive if the case went to trial.
Will You Provide References from Past Clients?
If a personal injury attorney has a solid track record in handling cases similar to yours, they will not hesitate to provide you with references from past clients. However, if they refuse to do so for any reason, it’s likely they are exaggerating their claims of success or have had problems with previous clients.
What Is Your Fee?
Since most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, you probably won’t have to pay any money upfront. However, if you win your case, the attorney will take a percentage of the winnings as their fee. Therefore, before hiring any lawyer for your case, make sure you know exactly what their contingency fee will be, since this can vary greatly from lawyer to lawyer.
By asking these questions well in advance, you’ll be able to avoid any unexpected surprises that will hinder your chances of getting the full and fair compensation you deserve.