WHAT TO ASK A PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT?
You were injured in an unfortunate car accident. What are your rights? Do you have a valid personal injury claim? These are some questions that a skilled car accident attorney can answer for you. Finding attorneys in your city or state doesn’t have to be complicated, thanks to Google and websites like Avvo. Most lawyers will not charge anything for the first consultation, and it makes sense to meet one, so as to know the basic aspects of your claim. If you are already looking for a personal injury attorney near me, here are some questions you need to ask –
- What do you think of my case?
Your attorney will ask a few questions, to know what may have caused the accident or other factors at play. They should offer an overview of what you can expect from your claim (or a possible lawsuit). If you live in a state that follows the modified comparative negligence rule, such as Indiana, you may not be able to recover anything, when your share of fault is more than 50%. Also, your eventual awarded compensation will be reduced by your fault in percentage. Ask the attorney how these aspects can impact your case in particular.
- How much time do I have to file a personal injury lawsuit?
Most states have a specific deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit after a car accident. The statute of limitations usually allows a defined time (anywhere between one to three years for most states), after which the court will not accept your lawsuit. In Indiana, you must file a personal injury lawsuit within two years from the date of accident, as per the statute of limitations. However, your lawyer may advise against waiting for long. They will gather evidence to bolster the case from an early stage.
- What kind of experience do you have?
A personal injury attorney may work on different types of cases. You need a lawyer, who handles a considerable number of car accident claims and lawsuits on a regular basis. The percentage of their practice dedicated to car accidents is important. To know a lawyer better, you can ask about their work profile, landmark cases, and other details.
As for the cost of hiring a car accident lawyer, you shouldn’t have to pay anything upfront. The lawyer will charge a contingency fee, which is a fixed percentage of the settlement.
Jeff Morgan is currently associated with NetworksGrid as a technical content writer. Through his long years of experience in the IT industry, he has mastered the art of writing quality, engaging and unique content related to IT solutions used by businesses. Topics like network security, managed firewall services, managed IT services and cloud computing like Best QuickBooks desktop hosting are his favorite.