does a personal injury attorney cost a lot

Does A Personal Injury Attorney Cost A Lot?

A personal injury attorney should be contacted when you or a loved one suffer an injury owing to an accident or negligence on the part of another person or persons. Many people try to settle these kinds of cases without an attorney by dealing directly with the insurance company.

This is a big mistake.

And here is the reason why - you will never get a fair settlement from an insurance company because they make their profit by under compensating the victims of personal injuries. The insurance companies absolutely love it when there is no attorney representing the victim for they know they can screw them out of their just deserts. An individual not versed in the law has no idea what legal remedies and rights they are giving up. After all, ignorance is bliss, they say, but in this case you will be very unhappy when you find out that the insurance company has nailed you to the wall with a very low payout. The insurance company gets the bliss and you suffer for your ignorance.

So the first step is to hire a personal injury attorney so you don't lose out.

You should ask for a written contract that explains the retainer agreemenht

between you and the attorney. This makes sure that your rights are protected and may be a requirement in your state. Always read the retainer agreement so that if there are points you do not understand, you can ask questions.

Do not go for one of those television ads where an attorney comes on and brags about how much he has made for his clients. What happens here is that you never see the attorney that speaks on the ad. You may live in Boston and you end up with some unknown attorney in Onaha,, Nebraska.. This is not good.

How do I find A Personal Injury Attorney?

Ask your friends if they know of any personal injury lawyers. Your doctor may know one. Ask you lawyer if you have one. He may not be able to represent you but he will certainly know an attorney who would be a good fit for your case.

Contact the American Assocaition for Justice. They have an online membership list and most attorneys who specialize in personal injuries list are in the list.

Most states have lawyer or bar organizations and offer services to help anyone looking for an attorney.

Ignore the 1-800 number you see on your television screen.

YouTube has almost 20,000 personal injury attorneys advertising their wares.

And a huge yellow page ad is no guarantee that the attorney has even handled a personal injury case.

Many attorneys in the personal injury field specialize and will only handle cases related to spinal cord or brain injury. Some only handle burn cases, so make sure that your attorney has experience in handling cases related to your injury. Some only take wrongful death cases while others may be dui lawyers. Even a birth injury attorney can be found. Here is more detailed information about a spinal cord injury attorney.

The Cost Of A Personal Injury Attorney

You are responsible for attorney fees like the fee for filing your lawsuit. Attorney fees are different from the attorney fee. Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. That means that if they do not win the case they get nothing and you do not have to pay their fee. However, if they win you will have to pay anywhere from 33% to 40% of whatever the court allows. The fee varies from state to state.

Listen. A 40% fee sounds like a lot of money and some people hear that number and quickly say to themselves I will do it myself and keep the 40%. They do not realize that a good personal injury attorney can recover much more money than the individual trying to represent herself and often ends up with more money even after paying the 40%.

Interview Questions for a Prospective Persoan Injury Lawyer

It is always a good idea to ask your attorney some questions before hiring him. Her is a list to get you started:

* What area do you specialize in
* Have you taken courses in your area of specialization
* Have you taught any classes in this personal injury area
* How many cases have you handled like mine
* How many were successful
* How many were settled out of court
* What is the percentage of cases that go to trial
* How long does a case like mine take to be resolved
* Have you ever been suspended from practicing law
* Any problems with an ethics committee
* Who will work on my case
* How can I help you improve my chances for a profitable outcome
* What if I am not happy with the settlement figure, would you go to trial anyway
* How long does it take you to return my call when I ask a question
* If you are not available, who can I go to for answers

Can I Fire My Personal Injury Attorney?

Absolutely. You are the boss. Your personal injury lawyer works for you and you have the right to fire her. Remember that you are still liable for any work that the attorney has done and she may be able to claim a portion of any settlement once your personal injry case has been resolved.

If you are thinking of firing your lawyer, it is always a good idea to talk to another lawyer first. Perhaps any disputes can be worked out. They may be owing to a misunderstanding on some technical point of law that can be easily solved.

If you suffer from a back or spinal cord injury owing to an accident, more information on a spinal cord injury attorney is available.