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Questions To Ask When Interviewing A Personal Injury Attorney

questions to ask when interviewing a personal injury attorney

If you’re searching for a personal injury attorney, you’re most likely struggling with painful and burdensome issues. And now you have to deal with the added stress of vetting and hiring the right attorney. You may wonder what questions to ask when interviewing a personal injury attorney. 

 

What Questions To Ask When Interviewing A Personal Injury Attorney

It’s easy to overlook important details when overwhelmed. That’s why we’ve developed this list of essential questions to ask when interviewing a Chicago, IL personal injury lawyer.

 

What is the attorney’s specialization?

There are many different types of personal injuries, from car accidents to surgical mistakes. It’s best to work with an attorney who has experience in whatever arena your case is in. At Langdon & Emison, we have personal injury attorneys experienced in cases ranging from auto accidents to vaping injuries.

Asking this question first allows you to save time finding the right lawyer. This also is a good time to double-check that the lawyer you’re consulting will be the one working on your case. 

 

Do they work on a contingency basis?

Many personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, which means they don’t get paid unless you do. If this is the case, any lawyer fees will come out of your settlement, so ask what percentage of the settlement they’ll expect to receive. 

If they don’t work on contingency, you’ll want to know their rate and how they’ll bill you during the case.

 

Will they charge case-related costs if the case is lost?

Some lawyers will ask you to cover some expenses if your case is lost. This varies among lawyers and firms. 

 

Have they ever handled a case like yours? 

Once you’ve found a Chicago personal injury law firm, it’s important to make sure that you ask the attorney about their experience. How many of these types of cases have they won? Were any of the cases similar to yours? What difficulties did the lawyer face and how did they overcome them? Did any of those cases go to trial? How long did those cases take? 

If they’ve never handled a case like this, how will they prepare themselves? Will they bring anyone else at their firm onto the case? 

You’ll want to work with seasoned lawyers. Langdon & Emison has a team with over 30 years of experience.

Once you have some of the above answers, you’ll be able to narrow down your list of potential lawyers. You can then move to these more in-depth questions to ask when interviewing a personal injury attorney.

 

Have they ever been censured or reprimanded for ethical issues?

A lawyer who’s been punished for unethical behavior may not be the best person to represent you. If the lawyer has been censured, ask for more information and carefully weigh your options before you proceed.

It’s highly preferable to work with ethical and determined Chicago lawyers, like those at Langdon & Emison, a firm filled with attorneys who are leaders in their field.

 

What are the options for your case, and how can you help?

A well-versed personal injury attorney will know how best to proceed to make your case as strong as possible. They’ll also be able to tell you what information, such as medical bills or screening notes, you’ll need to gather to support your case.

Be sure to ask what your case is worth as most personal injury lawsuits end up settling out of court. Langdon & Emison has won more than $700 million in verdicts and settlements and has the resources to take giant corporations to trial. 

 

How often will you hear from them?

It’s not common for lawyers to keep you out of the loop; they need to know what’s going on as much as you do. But knowing how often you should expect to hear from them may help you feel less anxious if a few days go by without an update. 

 

Can they provide a referral?

When considering what questions to ask when interviewing a personal injury attorney, you may find yourself scrolling through online reviews or testimonials. If you’d like more information, ask if you can speak to a previous client about their experience with the firm.

 

How soon can they get started?

Contact Langdon & Emison today for a free case evaluation. We want to get started on your case as soon as possible so you can get the compensation you need when you need it: now.

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