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Important Questions to Ask a Personal Injury Attorney in Connecticut

Personal Injury On Wednesday, August 10, 2022

If you are a New Haven resident and are seeking a personal injury attorney to represent you in your accident case, then it’s important to know what to look for in an attorney and what questions to ask to make sure you find the right representation for you and your unique situation.

Here are some of the questions you should consider asking any personal injury attorneys in Connecticut.

What Will Legal Representation Cost Me?

One of the first things you’ll want to ask your attorney is what they will charge to represent you. This means asking about all fees, surcharges, and any other costs that are associated with your case, including taking it to trial.

You want to know what you’ll pay in full, as close as possible so that you don’t have to worry about surprises or sticker shock when you see the final bill. It’s also important to ask what the attorney will charge if they take your case and don’t win compensation for you.

The costs associated with representation are different for each attorney. For instance, some don’t charge for consultations, while others may not take a fee unless they win compensation for your case. It’s important to know all these things upfront.

What is My Case Worth/Do I Have a Case?

Both these questions are equally important and should likely be asked at the same time. Any attorney who has experience handling personal injury cases should be able to tell you not only whether or not you have a case, but at least a rough estimate of what your case may be worth.

There are no guarantees when it comes to accident lawsuits of course, but an experienced attorney has the knowledge of the law and accident cases to be able to judge the facts of your case and see if they measure up to the standards of the law, meaning whether or not you have a case and how much compensation you may receive.

How Many Cases Like Mine Have You Handled?

When trying to find a personal injury attorney, knowing how much experience they have is important. No two cases are exactly the same, but the more similar cases an attorney has handled, the better the chances of a successful outcome.

Asking any attorney how cases they have handled and what types of results they have gotten should be one of the first things you ask them and it should be very easy for them to answer as well.

How Much Time Can You Spend on My Case?

Every client wants to feel like they are important and matter to their attorney, no one wants to feel like just another number. That’s why asking your attorney up front how much time they can devote to working on your case is a perfectly fair question.

If the attorney you are questioning can’t answer that simple question or simply says they won’t be able to devote much time to your case, then it’s likely a good sign to keep looking.

Have You Taken Similar Cases to Trial?

Though it does not always happen, there is a chance that to get the compensation you deserve, your case will need to go to trial. If that happens, you need to know that the attorney you hire has actual experience taking cases to trial and acquiring positive outcomes.

Many injury attorneys focus on getting settlements as quickly as possible in injury cases, but a settlement is not always an option.  If your attorney has little to no experience taking cases to trial, then you may have little chance of getting fair compensation.

Will My Case Go to Trial/ What Are the Chances of Success

Knowing whether or not your case may go to trial and the chances of success is an important fact in determining whether or not you will get compensation. A good injury attorney will be able to tell you whether your case may be settled or if it will need to go to trial. They should also be comfortable enough to share with you the chances of success.

Knowing this can help put your mind at ease about your case.

How Long Will It Take to Resolve My Case?

Because most people aren’t familiar with the court process and how long an injury case can take to go from start to finish, they may be surprised if it takes quite a while to see results.

Your attorney should be able to tell you at least an average of how long cases take to be resolved in your particular situation, though you should be sure to include if the case goes to trial versus reaches a settlement.

Who Will Actually Handle My Case/Who Will I Communicate With?

A lot of times when you meet with a law firm for the first time, you meet with someone high up in the firm to discuss your case. However, when it comes to handling all the various details of your case, this work is typically handed off to less important people at the firm.

That’s why identifying who will actually be handling your case and who your point of contact will be is important. This should also include finding out who will represent you if your case goes to trial and how much experience they have handling cases like yours.

Not everyone at a law firm has the same amount of legal experience with the same types of cases, so it’s a good idea to know just who you’ll be dealing with before you hand your case over to just anyone.

What is My Role in the Process?

A good thing to know before the legal process starts, is what you will need to do, should or should not be doing while your case is ongoing. Your attorney may want or allow you to sit in on important parts of your case, or they may ask you not to, depending on the unique situation. It is good to know these things upfront so that there are no problems as the case goes on.

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