In these situations, you need to seek compensation from the person who caused your injuries. However, in Corpus Christi or any other part of Texas, getting compensation can be complicated. This is why you need a Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer.
A Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer isn’t hard to come by in this part of the Lone Star State. Therein lies the problem.
The abundance of choices can leave you in a state of indecision. With so many attorneys to choose from, you won’t know if the one you’re speaking to is worth your trust and money.
Luckily, you can conduct a screening process by asking these 7 questions. By asking these questions, you’ll identify possible candidates for your personal injury case and find the right personal injury lawyer for you.
Read on to find out the seven crucial questions to ask before choosing the services of a Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer.
1. “How Long Have You been a Corpus Christi Personal Injury Lawyer?”
By inquiring about a lawyer’s experience, you’ll establish early on if the lawyer can give you the best possible outcome for your personal injury case.
Beyond years in practice, you need to ask about how long the lawyer has been a personal injury lawyer. Personal injury law is a specialized legal practice. A lawyer can have been in another specialization of law before being in personal injury law. Hence, ask about experience in personal injury.
Most importantly, the lawyer should also be a lawyer in the state, particularly in Corpus Christi. There’s no point in hiring a lawyer from the other side of the state if your case is in Corpus Christi.
2. “How Many Cases Have You Handled?”
This is another question that helps determine legal experience. More than years of service, personal injury lawyers should have already handled multiple personal injury cases before you hire them. After all, a personal injury lawyer may have been in practice for four years but has only had one or two cases.
It’s important to establish that the cases need to be personal injury cases. As much as possible, these cases need to mimic yours in some way.
This brings us to the next question.
3. “Have You Handled Similar Cases to Mine?”
Not every personal injury case is the same. For this reason, the right Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer for yours is the one that has handled clients with similar circumstances to yours.
By asking this question, you’ll be able to determine if you’re speaking with the right lawyer for your specific case and situation.
4. “What Is Your Success Rate?”
Early on, it will be difficult to establish whether or not a personal injury lawyer can get you compensation. Although it’s impossible to get a 100% guarantee of success, you can still choose a lawyer that has a good success rate.
Now, “good” is relative. Nonetheless, if you’re looking at a benchmark figure, choose an attorney that has a success rate of at least 85%. Any lower, and you may need to consider other personal injury lawyers in Corpus Christi.
5. “Do Your Cases Go to Trial?”
When it comes to personal injury, you will be glad to know that not many cases go to trial. Why should you be glad? This is because a trial can cost a lot of money and take a lot of time. In fact, a trial is expensive and long enough to discourage even the most resilient of attorneys and clients.
For this reason, a trial is something you need to avoid. Of course, this is something that may be out of your hands. If the lawyer you are speaking with has won compensation without going to trial, then you’re speaking with the right lawyer.
6. “Are You Ready to Go to Trial if Matters Escalate?”
As mentioned earlier, trials are uncommon for personal injury cases. However, there’s still a possibility. This is why a good personal injury lawyer can win outside the courtroom but be just as adept in it.
The personal injury lawyer you want to hire should do more than answer in the affirmative. He or she needs to provide you with a track record of trials won. If you’re speaking with a lawyer with a respectable track record, he or she shouldn’t hesitate to provide you with this information.
7. “How Much Do You Charge?”
While you shouldn’t start the conversation with this question, you have every right to ask. After all, legal counsel and representation will cost money. Hence, it’s always acceptable to ask how much these services will cost.
Whatever the fee is, keep in mind that you have rights. In particular, you have a right to know what the fees cover. You also need to ask how much the lawyer charges by the hour. For example, in Texas, the average personal injury lawyer can charge approximately $245 per hour.
In addition to what the lawyer’s professional fees cover, you also need to discuss contingency arrangements. If the lawyer accepts cases on contingency, the personal injury lawyer is entitled to a portion of money you recover from an injury settlement.
Choose a Corpus Christi Personal Injury Lawyer That Has Your Best Interests in Mind
At the end of the day, what you’re really trying to determine is one thing — whether or not a personal injury lawyer will be in your corner. These questions can reveal the right personal injury lawyer for your case.
Are you looking for legal representation for your personal injury case?
Choose a Corpus Christi personal injury lawyer who has all the right answers and the track record to back them up.