In my last post "5 Questions to Ask Your Prospective Personal Injury Lawyer",
I talked about some initial questions that you could ask a prospective
personal injury lawyer, before you decide to work with her/him. The
process can take time and is often stressful when added to the issues
that you are already experiencing as a result of your injury.
Here are several more questions to ask to ensure the best possible relationship and outcome for you and your family.
- How do I communicate with you throughout the case? Will I have direct access to ask questions as the case moves forward?
How long do you take to get back to me if I have a question? Do you
take vacation and if you do, to whom would I speak while you are away?
- Are there things I can get or do to help my case?
Reports and records, as well as lists of any potential witnesses and
doctors can all be helpful to the lawyer working on your file. Your
lawyer will tell you specifically what you can do to affect your
outcome.
- What if I am not happy with the settlement? Will you go to trial? And vice versa, what if I am happy with the settlement and you wish to go on?
- Can I add matters to the retainer? For
example, if retain a lawyer for a motor vehicle accident and ultimately
need help with something else, would the lawyer be able to help with
that as well?
- Do you make home and hospital visits?
This is an accepted practice. Victims, who suffer mental or physical
issues that confine them to their home, should expect their personal
injury lawyer to visit them wherever they are.
After you have left the lawyer's office, evaluate the following:
- How
did you feel when you were with the lawyer and paralegal or clerk in
their office? Good, indifferent, hopeful, optimistic, heard, important,
confident, or marginalized, trivialized, just another case, or silly for
even being there.
- Did you feel that any question you asked was treated thoughtfully and answered accurately?
- Does
the lawyer seem too busy and hastening the close of the meeting or did
they take the time to listen and care about what you are experiencing?
- Were
the staff surrounding the lawyer supportive and open? Alternatively,
were they closed and not helpful? The mood within the firm gives you a
clear indication of how you will be treated in the process of your case
if you choose this lawyer.
- If this was a referral from a
friend, know that everyone needs to choose the lawyer that is right for
his or her needs and the details of their case.
Your
initial feeling about how you are treated combined with a feel for how
capable and confident your chosen lawyer is to handle your case, will
combine to ensure a smooth and positive process towards a resolution of
your case.
