People need to employ lawyers for a wide range of different reasons. They can be anything from estate planning and administration to a work-related injury. Attorney services are also sought in relation to criminal or family law, and even for house moves.
As with securing the help of any professional, it’s always worth shopping around to find the best deal. It may not be the first lawyer you consider or the first website you discover online. Perhaps you are currently in need of a lawyer but don’t know what you should be looking for. This article provides some key questions to ask an attorney during an initial consultation.
What Is Your Specialism?
There’s no point asking an estate planning specialist to help you with a personal injury claim. What you need to know is what they spend most of their time working on. If it’s cases like yours, what are their success rates? You also need to know how many years’ experience they have.
The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office says that over 20,000 people had car accidents in 2018, and the number of injuries exceeded that figure. 655 people were reported to have died from these accidents. According to a personal injury attorney in Oklahoma City, people want to see the areas of expertise on lawyers’ websites – be it with car, truck, or motorcycle accidents. They also want to know details of previous cases, including the amounts of money recovered. Additionally, they want to read reviews from previous clients, and to access online chats and videos.
It may also be possible to discover awards and accreditations on the company websites. They may include Super Lawyers, Top 100 Trial Lawyers, or BBB Accredited Businesses.
Do I Need You?
People frequently need the help of personal injury lawyers to successfully win their compensation claims. In fact, research proves that people usually get more if they do so. Legal assistance can be very important when third parties (such as truck companies) are denying liability. If someone was bitten by a dog but didn’t know who owned it, the lawyer would be able to provide helpful advice on the subject.
In some cases, legal help would not necessarily be required. For instance, a person may have been hurt at work and be covered under the Workers’ Compensation scheme. In some countries, this would mean they couldn’t take out a personal injury claim against their employer. Similarly, the need for legal assistance is reduced if two married people are happy to use mediation to resolve asset splitting. In contrast, anyone who has been accused of a crime should immediately secure a legal advocate.
What Are My Chances?
If the lawyer offers a ‘no win no fee’ arrangement it would be encouraging if they were prepared to take you on. It would basically mean they believe you have some chance of success. It’s worth asking the attorney what their expectations are and if it’s a compensation claim, how much they think you may get.
Even if the professional believes you have good grounds for winning your case, let them explain what would occur in a worst-case scenario.
How Will You Communicate With Me?
There would no doubt be different developments and milestones along the way as your case progressed. You’d need to know that they’d keep you in the loop – and promptly. It’s also important to agree on how the communication would occur. You may prefer email if you are unavailable at work, or alternatively may require telephone updates.
It’s also worth making sure the professional would be happy to communicate with the other parties on your behalf. They could include employers or insurance companies.
What Would Be The Costs?
Even if it’s a ‘no win no fee’ policy, you will be charged if you are eventually successful. The legal expenses could cover costs for the court, paperwork, research, private investigations, incident reconstructions, witness statements, and more.
It’s important to have written confirmation of the charges and schedule for payment upfront. You should receive clear and transparent details, with no hidden costs. You may even have a ceiling on how much you are prepared to pay.
It’s important to realize that having an initial consultation doesn’t commit you. If you don’t feel an affinity with this person, move on. Remember: you could be discussing personal and emotionally sensitive information with them, such as your medical condition or financial position. Once you have finally decided, however, you should have an expert and well-experienced professional by your side. They can be with you all the way, and fight your case for justice.