The decision to hire a personal injury lawyer can be daunting. You want to find the right lawyer to guide you through one of the most challenging times of your life. You deserve someone who will not only fight for your best outcome but also make sure you feel heard, supported, and informed every step of the way.

The right questions can help you decide if a particular attorney is the right fit for you. In this guide, we’ve gathered the most important questions to ask before making your choice, along with insight into why these questions matter. These aren’t boxes to check; they’re conversation starters that will give you a clear picture of a lawyer’s experience, communication style, and dedication to your case.

Tell me about your experience with handling cases like mine

Your lawyer should have ample experience in personal injury cases so they’ve seen situations like yours before. Ideally, personal injury should be a specialist area for them, rather than one of many practice areas. An experienced lawyer can quickly spot key issues, risks, and opportunities in your case. A lawyer experienced in personal injury cases will understand the law and how it applies. Experience gives a lawyer insight into how judges, opposing counsel, and even juries are likely to respond.

How much will it cost to work with you and how much do you charge?

Lawyers have varying rates and should disclose this information up-front.

Who will be working on my case?

You want to be sure that the lawyer and legal team you choose is actually handling your case. Lawyers should lead cases. However, lawyers often use the support of a paralegal or legal assistance, but those individuals should provide support rather than leading the case. Make sure the lawyer you choose is leading your case and communicating with you to your comfort level. 

Moreover, it can be beneficial to have multiple lawyers involved in your claim. At Hailey|Hart, we include all lawyers in the firm in every case, which we believe brings diverse perspectives and a broader range of expertise to your situation.  

How will you communicate with me about my case and how often?

You need to understand the best way for you to reach your lawyer and vice versa. A clear communication plan helps set expectations and ensure you understand what is happening with your case. When we work with clients, we develop a customized, proactive plan for your specific situation, including regular check-ins. 

How many cases do you handle at a time?

You want to hire a lawyer who is not overextended or works cases only for minimal settlements. If your lawyer handles more than 10-15 cases at a time, they are likely overextended and not able to carefully handle your case.

Who pays for costs and how are costs recouped?

Asking this will help you understand whether the lawyer expects you or the law firm to front the cost of pursuing your case. Most contingent fee law firms advance costs and recoup the costs in the settlement or judgement, but some do not. This information is important to understand your net from any settlement or verdict. For example, we only represent clients on a contingent fee basis. That means we don’t collect our fees and costs until we recover for you, and initial consultations with our attorneys are free. 

How will you determine how much my case is worth?

It is important to understand the law firm’s philosophy and approach to handling personal injury matters. Be cautious of attorneys who claim to know your case value during your initial meeting. It is difficult to understand case value early during the evaluation phase. There are a number of factors that can impact case value. These factors include, but are not limited to, severity and permanency of injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, how the accident happened, and the impact on quality of life. 

We look at the universe of information involved in a personal injury case and will value the case after performing a complete review of the case once the client has completed or neared the end of medical treatment. 

We have a very thorough case selection process that helps us accurately determine the value of your case. Every case requires careful analysis. 

What’s your approach to handling cases—are you more likely to settle or go to trial?

98% of personal injury claims settle without having to go to trial. If you hire a law firm that is routinely in trial, the law firm may overly rely on settlements so that they can close cases, or be overextended and not have the time or resources to aggressively build your case for optimal settlement in advance of trial.

If my case does not settle, are you willing to take my case to trial?

Sometimes cases do not settle. Our law firm works every case up as if the case will go to trial, but not all law firms do the same. If you are willing to take your case to trial if the insurance company does not offer fair settlement, then you should tell that to your potential lawyer. Your potential lawyer and you should have the same approach to going to trial if the insurance company does not offer fair settlement.

We have information available if you would like to find out more about how Hailey|Hart works, as well as our practice’s philosophy. Connect with us, if you have a serious personal injury case you would like to discuss.