3 Vital Questions To Ask A Personal Injury Lawyer

Are you the victim of an accident that was caused by somebody else? Are you now out of work or otherwise unable to pay the bills that keep piling up? Being injured can be difficult at the best of times. It's definitely not a good time to find out that your insurance is not as good as you expected or that your savings account is insufficient for your needs. In order for you to be reimbursed for your needs, your best option is likely to be filing a lawsuit. But before you do that, you're going to need to find a good attorney. Locating the right personal injury lawyer for your case isn't always easy, but there are questions that can help you with your search. Some things that you'll want to ask before hiring anyone include:

How long do lawsuits like this take? If you have a strong case, your personal injury lawyer may be able to get you a viable settlement in a matter of weeks. On the other hand, it's also possible that the insurance company and any other involved parties will try to fight the case in court - something that could take months. An experienced attorney will be able to make an educated guess based on his or her past experiences.

Does the first settlement offer have to be accepted? If you've already been dealing with the situation for a while, it's possible that you've already received a small settlement offer from the insurance company. The insurance company may try to persuade you that you must take this offer or you'll get nothing. Your personal injury lawyer will take a look at your case and help you to decide whether or not taking this offer is in your best interests. Sometimes, fighting for a few extra dollars will cost you more time and energy than it's worth.

How much do you charge? While a personal injury lawyer will typically work on a contingency fee basis, only taking money from whatever settlement you ultimately get, there are lawyers who charge more traditional fees. If you simply want a lawyer to look over the settlement offers that you're getting from the insurance company, paying based on work done may make more sense to you. On the other hand, paying a percentage of your settlement can be a better option for you if your lawyer winds up doing a significant amount of work before you get your money.