What Questions Should I Ask A Mesa Injury Attorney?

Being injured in an accident is already an unpleasant experience, and some personal injury plaintiffs find the claims process to be even worse. Many personal injury claimants find that the process proceeds more smoothly and results in a higher settlement award when they retain skilled legal representation. Not every personal injury lawyer offers the same level of service. When you want to hire a lawyer who is a better legal practitioner than a salesperson, it matters which questions you ask during your initial consultation. To start off with, you should choose a personal injury attorney who thinks you have a good case and who is qualified and prepared to give it the attention it deserves. How the lawyer conducts consultations can tell you a lot about how they handle legal claims. Read on for some examples of questions that you can ask a personal injury lawyer during your initial consultation. If you’re seeking an experienced injury lawyer to take your Mesa or Phoenix accident claim, call 602-600-6001 to schedule your free consultation.

• Do you offer free consultations? This question will probably be asked to the attorney’s receptionist or legal assistant rather than the attorney directly. But you should be wary of accident attorneys who charge po tential clients just to see if they are even willing to take their cases. Every dollar counts during the personal injury claim process, and consultation fees can be avoided by starting your search with attorneys who offer free consultations. 
• What is your legal background?  Someone can practice law for decades and never have worked on a personal injury claim. Many attorneys will take a case because they see dollar signs, even if they don’t have the proper skill set to achieve a favorable resolution for their client. If you want to get the most out of your personal injury claim, you should seek out an attorney who is specifically practiced in accident cases based in Maricopa County. That will give your attorney familiarity with how cases like yours settle, or go to trial. Attorneys who practice personal injury should also be familiar with medical professionals who treat accident victims in the area and how to assist clients who can’t afford to pay. 
• Will I need to come into the office for updates? What is your preferred method of communication? Some people have an easier time understanding complex topics- such as a personal injury lawsuit- face-to-face rather than over the phone or email. Others may prefer an email to have a record of the information provided by their attorney. Some may prefer a phone call for convenience but still get to ask questions in real-time. If you know which method works best for you, don’t hire an attorney who isn’t willing to communicate via that channel. 
• Who else will be working on my case? You will probably want to know if the person you are consulting with will actually be working on your case or if they are functioning as a salesperson. Unless your attorney is a solo practitioner, they will probably receive assistance on your case from multiple other people who work at their firm. During your consultation, you can ask more about the legal background of not just your attorney, but also the staff who will support them throughout the process. You should be confident with the entire team who will be working on your personal injury claim. 
• Do you think my case will settle out of court? Very few personal injury claims end up being tried before a jury. Settling a claim comes with numerous advantages, like faster payout and less stress and responsibility related to trial. Your attorney should not be able to guarantee how much the other party will offer as a settlement agreement and when. However, your attorney should have an idea of the strategies the other party may use in situations like yours, including low-ball offers that should be ignored. Ultimately, even if your case seems like it will most likely settle, you’ll still want a lawyer who can take your case before a judge, if necessary. 
• What are the up-front fees for you to take my claim? Many accident victims don’t even bother seeking legal guidance regarding their claims because they assume they can’t afford legal representation. However, you can hire an injury attorney on a contingent basis, meaning they will only get paid when you do. A lawyer who is working on a contingent basis will only receive payment when the client receives their check, whether that be through a settlement agreement or a trial verdict. However, not every law firm charges the same contingency fee for personal injury cases. The difference between a few percentage points for a contingency fee can translate to thousands of dollars of a personal injury award. Selecting an attorney with a competitive contingency fee could mean more money in your pocket at the end of your case. You should also be aware of how much is reasonable for a personal injury attorney to charge as a contingency fee so you don’t sign an agreement and later learn your contingency fee is higher than average. It is common for personal injury attorneys in the Mesa area to charge as much as 33% or even higher as a contingency rate. Want to keep more of your injury award for yourself? At My AZ Lawyers, we offer our clients a guaranteed contingency fee of 25%. See how much our 25% advantage could save you with your free consultation- call 602-600-6001 to schedule today. 
• How many cases do you handle at a time? Because of the risks involved with working on a contingency basis, personal injury attorneys will often take several cases to ensure that they will get a paycheck. There is a fine balance between taking enough cases to stay consistently busy and taking on a caseload that is overly burdensome and unrealistic to manage. How many cases is appropriate for an attorney to take will also depend on the staff they have supporting them with their caseload. 
• How long will it take to resolve my case?  Some cases may only take a few weeks to complete, while others may last for months, or in some cases, years. If you expect to receive a substantial award, it helps to know approximately how long you will have to wait to be compensated. 

Get the Most Out of Your Claim with Our Mesa Accident Team

Proceeding with an accident claim without retaining an attorney means shouldering all of the responsibilities of your case on your own. Dealing with coordinating with medical professionals, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, negotiating with an insurance company and more can all be overwhelming, especially when in recovery from an accident. Our skilled accident lawyers can identify which strategies will be the most effective given the facts of your case to help achieve the highest settlement possible. Injury Lawyers Mesa offers competitive rates and free initial consultations for potential clients. Our experienced attorneys can answer any questions you may have about the personal injury claim process in Mesa. To get started today with your free consultation, contact us today or call 602-600-6001.  

Mesa Injury Lawyers

1731 West Baseline Road Suite #103
Mesa, AZ 85202
Tel: 602-600-6001
Email: [email protected]
Website: injurylawyersmesa.com