Key Questions To Ask Your Attorney After An Accident

1. How will you help me?

This is the foremost question you need to ask your attorney. You need to explain to your attorney the situation of things and leave nothing out. This would help your attorney understand the case better and put them in a better position to represent you.

It is necessary to be very transparent when narrating the event, no matter how incriminating. Sharing all the details gives the attorney a level playing field to work. Besides, leaving some details out, no matter how minute, can have negative impacts on your case later.

A well-experienced attorney should be able to explain how the case works and the processes attached to it. Asking the attorney this question will help you will know if you can trust them with your case.

More so, it will also help determine if the lawyer/law firm can fully represent your case. This is why it is advisable to always use firms/attorneys that have expertise in this area. With firms like Accident Attorneys of Southern Nevada, you can rest assured that you are in safe hands.

2. Are you knowledgeable in this area?

As earlier stated, it will be in your best interest to ask your attorney if they are knowledgeable in the accident case area. This is because some attorneys might have a grasp of what accident cases entails, but they might not have enough expertise and experience to take up the case professionally.

Ask your solicitor if he or she is specialized in accident law and has taken up similar cases. This is because even under accident law, there are several specialization areas.

For instance, if you are the victim of an accident, your attorney might be different than that of the person who caused the accident.

It does not mean the other attorney cannot handle your case; it just means this attorney is better equipped to handle your case for more positive results. This is why your attorney should be someone who is a professional in this area.

3. Have you handled similar lawsuits in the past?

You need to find out if the attorney has handled similar cases to yours in the past. The lawsuits do not have to be 100% similar, but you should have about 65-80% guarantee that your attorney is skilled in the accident area. How many similar cases has the attorney taken? What was the outcome?

Were the cases settled in court or outside court? Overall, how did the cases turn out for the clients? Was it positive or negative? These are questions you should bear in mind to ask the attorney. Most well-experienced attorneys will explain these questions to you in detail.

You should not use the outcome of previous cases to determine yours becomes the circumstances and data provided are different. But it would make you feel at ease knowing that your attorney has brokered successful cases similar to yours in the past.

4. What should I do to improve my case?

It would be best if you asked the attorney about all you need to do to improve your chances of winning the case. The attorney should be able to tell you about the dos and don’ts of your case.

For instance, can you travel for a long while during the trial period? If you filed a lawsuit or one was filed against you, you need to find out all the loopholes as well as data that you can add to strengthen your case.

More so, you should ask for the duration within which you can file a lawsuit before the accident issue is declared closed (statute of limitation).

It is also crucial for you to ask your attorney if you need to contact entities such as your medical center, your workplace, your insurance company, etc. to provide more evidence and the type of information you need to provide. Will you need witnesses, evidence in the form of videos/photographs, or more?

Providing these might boost your lawsuit’s strength. You should be absolutely truthful about the accident’s circumstance. Providing inaccurate information or withholding information can increase the chances of losing your case.

5. How long do you think this case will take before being resolved?

It might not be easy to give a set-in-stone conclusion date for your lawsuit, but your attorney should be able to make foresight. They should be able to estimate the resolve duration based on past cases similar to yours.

You should ask your attorney for the possible timeline of the case; this will allow you to focus on preparing yourself for the case.

Also, the tentative timeline will help you prepare the right amount of money to get your case started and concluded. Asides the court or settlement rulings, you should find out from your attorney how long it will take for you to get your full damage and injury compensation.

Besides, the timeline estimate will help you know when to compensate the victim of an accident if you are at fault.

6. What Are My Options? Settle in court vs. outside court

This is another important question you need to ask your attorney when dealing with accident cases. Your attorney should be able to determine the appropriate course of action for you based on the accident’s circumstances and other factors.

You need to know if you have a solid case with evidential backing before going to court, this can increase your payoff. Out of court settlements might not pay as much as court compensation payout but the drama is less.

On the other hand, you would be losing a lot if the court ruling does not go in your favor, and you had previously rejected an out of court settlement.

This is why your attorney must be knowledgeable and experienced enough to analyze almost accurately your win or loss. Asking about your case’s appropriate cause of action will help you understand your situation better. It will also help you plan the best course of action that will ensure a win-win situation.

Conclusion

Dealing with an accident or the resultants is terrifying enough; do not let the legality issues attached be an additional burden for you. Familiarize yourself with questions to ask your attorney in the first meeting.

Asking questions like what is the timeline of the case, your options and chances of winning, how to improve your case, etc. can help you understand your situation better and adequately prepare. Besides, asking these questions can also help you determine if your attorney is the best hire.