Hiring a lawyer can be a daunting task. How do you know if you are choosing the right lawyer? How do you know if they are going to pursue your claim with the seriousness that you want? What happens if they lose your claim? What happens if you don't like their service and want to take your case to another lawyer?
In this FAQ we're going to go over some excellent questions that you can ask your lawyer before hiring them. Remember, choosing the right lawyer is as important as deciding to start your claim. Choosing the wrong lawyer can cost you thousands of dollars and can even cost you your case
What Should I ask a Lawyer before Hiring them?
Personal Injury Lawyer St. Louis
I’d like to do a brief video here about what to ask a lawyer before you hire him. It’s hard to choose a lawyer. How do you know? There are different ways to figure out who’s good, but most people aren’t buying lawyers like you buy cars or other consumer goods or things you consume, so it’s harder to know. One of the things is you can go, and you can look at Google reviews. We have the most Google reviews of any firm in St. Louis that I know of and we’re well-reviewed, so you’re welcome to look at those on Google. We’re reviewed on Avvo. We have the Avvo Client Choice Award. I’m a Super Lawyer. I have all these awards that I’ve worked hard for, not to brag but just to give you information about how you can assess lawyers.
Questions to ask before you hire a lawyer:
- Are you going to handle my case personally, or are you going to dish it off to someone else, I’m never going to see you?
- I know you say no fee if no recovery and I get a free consultation, but if you lose my case do I have to pay you back your expenses still? If you lose my case, am I going to be liable for the taxable cost if the defendant asserts them? If you don’t do the work that I tell you to do and I have to fire you, and I go to another lawyer, are you going to try to get money still out of my case from the other lawyer?
- Do you go to court? Do you take depositions? Are you in court every day fighting the fight? How many cases have you tried in the last year, or do you just sign up these cases and settle them?
- Do you insist on a full 100% recovery for the damages to your client or do you settle for 70% or 80% and call it a day?
- Do you file lawsuits and try cases, or are you just going to collect a bunch of documents, send them to the claims adjuster and settle the case cheaply? Have you actually tried and litigated these types of cases? Have you actually tried these cases? Have you litigated them? Have you picked juries and gotten verdicts in auto, comp, med mal, slip-and-falls, employment discrimination, products liability? I’ve tried cases in all these areas and more, but that’s what you want to ask them, and do you have articles about them? Do you want to show me that?
- Do you have a reputation in the legal community of someone who insists on a 100% recovery, and if they don’t get it they’re going to try these cases so that you can get the best value of your case from claims adjusters and defense lawyers, and they’ll know they’ll pay you the full value of your case? Are you going to fight to the very end of my case to get the full value of the settlement?
- Do you have a packet of information, published articles, books, pamphlets to educate me about your firm, so I know you’ll be able to strongly represent my interests?
- Are you going to get 50%, 60% or 70% of my damages or are you going to get 100% of my damages? Do you have the experience in winning difficult liability cases, pursuing claims where the injuries are severe, finding additional insurance or unique insurance solutions where no one else thought there was any, thinking outside of the box, investigating the claims and being aggressive to ensure that you get a fair recovery or your family gets a fair recovery if it’s a death case or if it’s a case involving a minor child?
This is just a short list of the questions you may be asked. Take your time and make sure that the law firm or attorney you choose to represent you is invested in your health and recovery and not just their payment.
What Questions do I need to ask to make sure I get the right Lawyer?
Personal Injury Lawyer St. Louis
People who have potential personal injury claims often don't take them on because they believe that they either can't afford a lawyer, or they can't afford the court costs or fees that can from a legal battle. With our Personal Injury Law Firm in St. Louis, you'll never pay anything unless we win your personal injury claim. We fight hard for the rights and recoveries of our clients, and we never settle for anything less than the full recovery that they are owed. If you family needs a dedicated and aggressive personal injury lawyer to fight for your rights, we can help you. Call our team at 314-542-2222 or 618-272-2222.