3 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Personal Injury Lawyer

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Whether you have been hurt in an accident or due to someone else's negligence, hiring a personal injury lawyer will help you recover some money for the pain and suffering you've been experiencing. Here are a few important questions to ask when hiring a personal injury lawyer to represent you:

What Services Are Included?

It's important to find out exactly what services will be included in the hourly or fixed rate that your personal injury attorney will be charging you. Some lawyers charge extra for things like in-person consultation meetings, evidence gathering, and surveillance services. If you aren't aware of what services will cost extra beforehand, you could end up with a much bigger legal bill than anticipated when all is said and done.

Ask for a list of every service that isn't included in your lawyer's base fee so you can budget your legal services and avoid any unwanted financial surprises. Any service that's not on the list should be included in your base fee, so take advantage of them all before deciding whether to use any additionally charged services.

Who'll Be Working on the Case?

You should also take the time to find out who else besides your lawyer will be working on your case. If anyone will be doing research, following up with witnesses, or dealing with the other party in any way, you should know what their background and experience are. You should also know whether the support staff has direct experience with the specific type of personal injury case you're dealing with.

Request a consultation meeting with your lawyer's team if they will play a big role in representing your personal injury case so you can create some peace of mind in knowing that your case is being well handled.

Which Negotiation Tactics Should You Use?

While there is no guarantee that negotiations will work, your lawyer should be able and willing to use a variety of negotiation tactics to keep you out of court. If your lawyer can successfully negotiate with the other party, you will get compensation for your pain and suffering without ever having to step foot in the courtroom.

So, take the time to ask your lawyer what kinds of negotiation tactics they plan to use so you know what the game plan is and won't be surprised by any negotiation offerings that come your way. Make sure that your lawyer is prepared to use multiple tactics before giving up on negotiations and moving the courtroom phase.

For more information, contact law services like Siben & Siben LLP.


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