As you look to hire a personal injury lawyer in Nevada, it's important to understand what questions you must ask during your initial consultation. Knowing what questions to ask and the importance of asking them can help guide you to the law firm best suited to handle your case. Here are five important questions you'll want to ask a personal injury attorney and why these questions are important.
Are You Handling My Case or Will Someone Else in the Firm Handle It?
One of the questions that you'll want to ask is whether the person meeting with you will be personally handling your case or whether someone else will be handling it. Some law firms allow you to sit down and meet with the specific lawyer who will be assigned to your case. Other offices have paralegals or any free attorney handle the consultation. The person you meet with may or may not be the person handling your case. You want to always meet with the attorney who will be assigned your case to ensure you like them and get along with them.
How Long Have You Been Handling Personal Injury Cases?
The next question you will want to ask is how long they have been handling personal injury cases. Some lawyers have years of experience handling cases in Las Vegas, while other attorneys may be new. An experienced lawyer is invaluable. You want to find someone who has the experience, as this can help you to win your case and recover the maximum amount of money possible.What is Your Experience With Personal Injury Cases Such as Mine?
In addition to asking how long the lawyer has been handling personal injury cases, ask how much experience they have with your specific type of claim. There are many different types of personal injury claims, including car accident, dog bite, medical malpractice, workers compensation, and product liability. You want to find a lawyer who has experience handling your kind of case, as each type of case has its own unique differences that can affect how things should be handled.
How Do You Plan on Handling My Case?
As you are speaking to the personal injury attorney, they will also be asking you questions. They will ask you about the accident and what happened. They may review witness statements, police reports, accident reports and any other information you provide them. As they are reviewing this information with you, ask them how they plan on handling your case. A great attorney should be able to tell you what challenges they see and come up with a plan of action to help guide your case to completion.What Percentage of My Settlement Do You take As a Fee?
The fifth and final question you need to ask a personal injury attorney during an initial consultation is what percentage of your settlement or award they will take. Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis. This means that you do not pay them upfront or by the hour. Instead, they get a percentage of your settlement or award.
The percentage amount can vary from law firm to law firm, with most charging anywhere from 25 to 40 percent of your settlement amount. You want to find a law firm who charges a fair amount for their services, so be sure to ask what percentage the law firm takes and compare it to other comparable law firms in the area.