Questions to Ask a Nashville TN Personal Injury Attorney
There are many attorneys to choose from in Tennessee. People wounded by willful intent, or during an accident are represented by personal injury attorneys. Cases with medical malpractice, car accidents, animal attacks, semi-truck accidents and accidents caused by faulty products are usually cases that personal injury lawyers work on. The first step in claiming a financial stake and building your case is deciding to meet with a Tennessee personal injury lawyer. There are differences in the level of expertise in attorneys. Having questions to ask a potential personal injury lawyer should be without a doubt something you should have in your back pocket.
Before hiring a personal injury attorney in Tennessee, ask questions such as:
What Types of Cases do You Usually Handle?
All personal injury lawyers do not handle the same cases, they have specializations. An attorney with expertise in your particular type of case should be the focus of your search. A ratio of cases the lawyer has handled should be presented to you. This ratio shows all types of cases handled, including civil cases, family matters etc.
Have You Handled Cases Like Mine Before and What Were the Results?
In a situation where your case is not common, this question is quite essential. You need an attorney with the knowhow and expertise in the nature of your case. The rate at which your potential attorney has been successful in cases like yours should also be of concern to you.
How Many Personal Injury Cases Have You Tried?
Most cases involving personal injury are usually settled, with a lot of them being done without involving going to court. However, a number of personal injury cases in Tennessee still get to trial. Your Nashville TN personal injury attorney should try to push your case to court when feasible. When your attorney representing you is perceived as someone who does not take cases to court, insurance companies may not place so much attention and value on your case than when a lawyer who goes to court regularly with similar cases does represent you.
Who Else Will Be Helping with My Case?
Acquiring staff to help in trial preparation, investigation, and other areas of the case is commonplace among personal injury lawyers. You should know if the attorney’s backroom staff is going to be of help in your case, but the attorney must hold the first consultation meeting in person. Asking the function of all those working on your case with the attorney is highly important. Ensure the attorney you meet with at consultation is the same lawyer who would follow up the case to the end, even to court as many law firms tend to send senior partners or other experienced personnel to consultation, then eventually hand the case over to a junior member of staff to handle.
How Many Other Cases Are You Handling?
When your attorney is tied down with a lot of cases of which some might be more high profile than yours and require more attention, they may not fully deliver on the job as you would expect. It is quite imperative you hire a lawyer who has enough time to attend to your case dutifully.
How Can I Communicate with You?
Ask how often you will be kept posted on events surrounding your case, and the means through which such updates will be done (either via emails, text messaging, phone calls letters etc.). While your case is on, you may want to communicate with your attorney on updates on your own end and for other reasons, so asking your potential legal representative the means of communication is necessary.
How Do You Charge Your Fee?
Knowledge on how your attorney would want to be paid cannot be over emphasized. Most attorneys work on personal injury cases with a contingency fee, which simply means that you pay them only when the case is won or settled. Legal fees and legal costs are vastly different, with legal fees being the money paid to your lawyer for legal services rendered, while legal costs are the costs incurred in bringing the case forward to the court. Legal costs include court costs, expert witness fees, copying and expenses which are directly incurred in handling your case.
The above are questions that your Nashville Tennessee personal injury lawyer should answer. Some more questions regarding the unique or personal nature of your case may be asked, but the above questions are crucial to know. If you are searching for a Middle TN Personal Injury Attorney who is highly rated by clients and other lawyers,contact Jeff Roberts at Jeff Roberts & Associates, PLLC at .