First, carefully research each attorney you meet with before hiring the one who’ll represent you. You’ll be working together with your lawyer for several months, so it’s important to find someone you’re comfortable with who has the experience and competence to secure a fair resolution to your case.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
If you’re considering hiring a specific attorney, be sure to ask for information about his or her:
- Education. Your attorney should have the education and legal authority to accept clients, be licensed to practice in the state where your injury occurred, and be familiar with the local court systems.
- Case experience. Ask the lawyer to tell you about his or her experience in dealing with personal injury cases similar to yours, and be as specific as possible. For example, a case involving death by medical malpractice can differ greatly from a fatality caused by a car crash.
- Expectations. Your attorney needs to accurately estimate the losses associated with your injury—including medical bills, car repairs, lost wages, lost enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium—and compare these to recent outcomes of cases similar to yours.
- Payment options. Injury attorneys often represent clients on a contingency-fee basis, but some want money upfront. Your attorney should be clear about how costs and fees are assessed and answer any questions you may have before signing a fee agreement.
- Trial and courtroom experience. Make sure that if your case goes to trial, your lawyer has the knowledge and experience to take you there. How many of the firm’s cases have gone to trial, and how many were won by a verdict?
- Approach to your case. How would the attorney go about securing compensation for you? Would he or she consider hiring accident reconstructionists or calling in expert witnesses? What would he or she require of you throughout the process?
- Customer service. Was your call picked up right away? How long did it take the firm to respond to an inquiry? How often will you hear from your attorney until the case is resolved?
Talk To a Personal Injury Lawyer Today
At Samples Ames PLLC, we offer a free initial case review to all injury clients, giving victims a chance to get to know us before we represent them. Simply fill out the brief contact form on this page to meet with a Texas personal injury attorney at no cost to you.
