When you are injured in an accident, you have a lot of things to worry about.
Your livelihood may be in jeopardy, frighteningly expensive medical bills will pile up quickly, and your mailbox will suddenly be filled with advertisements from personal injury lawyers. Choosing a Kansas City personal injury attorney to ensure your rights are protected is critically important, but many people don’t know how to go about that task. What are the most critical questions to ask a personal injury lawyer to ensure that you are getting the service you deserve and need? Many injured people begin with the question, “do I have a case?” That’s a fair question, but your research needs to go deeper than that—and, you need to find an attorney before you speak with the insurance company or responsible party.
The Popham Law Firm is one of Kansas City’s most highly rated groups of personal injury attorneys. Since 1918, we’ve been dedicated to protecting people and ensuring that they receive the compensation they are entitled to under the law. Our years of experience give us a unique perspective on what it takes to be a successful personal injury lawyer. No matter who you choose to handle your case, here are some questions that you must ask to ensure that your lawyer is ready to fight for you.1. What sort of experience does your firm have with my type of personal injury case?You will want to know right off the bat whether or not the attorney that you’re speaking with has experience dealing with your particular type of personal injury claim. Ask for specifics: How many of these cases have they handled? How many of those cases were settled versus taken to trial? Make sure you get a general idea of what sort of results the attorney has obtained for his or her clients.You can do your homework about an attorney’s reputation online, as well. If you want to know about the quality of an attorney, ask his or her competition—other lawyers. The Martindale-Hubbell AV Peer Review Ratings are an excellent place to start. If the attorney or practice is highly rated there, the chances are good that you are talking to a well-respected personal injury lawyer.2. How long does it usually take to resolve a case like mine?While there are no guarantees, your prospective personal injury attorney should have some idea about how long your case will take. If the lawyer you are speaking with can analyze the complexity of your case and give you a good description as to what sort of time frame to expect, then you are probably dealing with someone with experience in your particular kind of personal injury case.3. How often will you communicate with me about my case and with whom will I primarily be working?At The Popham Law Firm, we have discovered that communication is the key to success. Your lawyer should be available to speak with you regarding your case, and he or she should be able to commit to a schedule of when you should hear from them. Do they use email, or do they call on the telephone? Find out whether you will be working directly with the lawyer in charge of your personal injury case or if you’ll mostly be communicating with a paralegal or investigator. You should be able to reach your lawyer; an attorney being unwilling to commit to communication is a huge red flag warning to you.4. How many cases are you currently handling? Do you have time to handle my case?An ethical personal injury lawyer will only take those cases to which they can devote maximum time and energy. An overloaded attorney may miss important issues, make mistakes, or be more likely to settle your case for less money than it is worth.5. If I am not satisfied with the insurance company’s offer, will you file a lawsuit on my behalf and take my case to trial?Obviously, all lawyers are not created equal. Some Kansas City Personal injury attorneys tend to try to settle as many cases outside of the courtroom as possible, and not all lawyers are experienced in trial settings. You have a Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial; make sure that your lawyer is comfortable pursuing that option if circumstances warrant.6. Do you have references from your past clients?The Kansas City personal injury lawyer that you are interviewing should work to get your business, and that includes offering testimonials from other clients with which the attorney has worked. The opinions of others count, especially if they were experiencing personal injury issues similar to your own.7. How does the lawyer get paid?Many personal injury lawyers work on what is called a “contingency” basis. In this context, “contingency” that the lawyer gets a percentage of whatever award you receive. But, that is only part of the story, so you need to do some more digging. Finding out how the lawyer plans to handle litigation expenses, and whether you will need to pay for those as they are incurred, can go a long way toward ensuring that the financial picture is clear before you begin. If your question is dismissed with, “don’t worry, we never lose a case,” that is a huge warning to you.
The Popham Law Firm Difference
Representing Kansas City residents since 1918, The Popham Law Firm employs the area’s most respected and highly rated personal injury, workers’ compensation, and employee rights attorneys. We are dedicated to protecting the rights of our clients and ensuring that they get the just compensation that they deserve. For questions regarding your injury case and how The Popham Law Firm can help you, contact us via our website or call us at (844) 243-2288.
