What to Ask During Your First Meeting with a Personal Injury Attorney

Michael Waks

3 years ago

Before you hire a personal injury attorney to assist with your claim, it’s important to confirm their credentials. Have you actually found the best person for the job, or are they merely the first professional you came across when you started searching for representation?

Thankfully, determining if you’ve found the right lawyer is fairly straightforward. By asking strategic questions during your initial consultation, you’ll be able to tell by the end of the meeting whether you should proceed with their help.

If you’ve scheduled a case review with a local personal injury attorney—or you’re planning to soon—these are the questions you should ask:

1. Have You Handled Claims Similar to Mine?

Personal injury law is a vast practice area that encompasses everything from animal attacks to medical malpractice to defective products. Not all personal injury lawyers are equipped to take on all kinds of cases, so it’s important to confirm that the attorney you’re thinking about hiring actually has experience handling claims like your own.

Ask how much of their casework involves the area of tort law under which your claim falls, as well as what the outcome of those actions were. While you don’t need to hire someone who focuses solely on claims like yours, you want to make sure they have at least some familiarity with the relevant statutes, precedents, and proceedings that impact their outcomes.

2. What Do You Think Is the Most Likely Outcome to My Case?

The answer to this question will reveal a lot about the lawyer’s integrity. Since legal proceedings are unpredictable, no reputable professional will promise to secure a sizable settlement. They might share the most likely outcome, which could be in your favor, but they will also discuss the alternatives with honesty and openness.

3. How Often Will You Update Me on the Status of My Claim?

Your attorney should be able to handle virtually every aspect of your claim. You still deserve updates along the way, however, so you always know where your case stands.

During your first meeting, ask how often you can expect to hear from your lawyer. You should also inquire about contacting them. When a question or concern arises, for example, will you be able to reach your attorney directly? And if you end up having to leave a message, how long will it take them to get back to you?

In addition to asking these kinds of questions, you can gauge the firm’s commitment to customer service by reading their reviews from past clients. If the practice treated other accident victims well, they’ll likely make you feel like a priority, too.

Discuss Your Claim with a Personal Injury Lawyer in Long Beach

Your Injuries Are Personal to Me

Are you hoping to find a reputable personal injury attorney in California? Look no further than the Law Office of Michael D. Waks for personalized attention and strategic counsel at every stage of the claims process.

We know you have enough to worry about during such a stressful time, which is why we won’t charge a fee unless we win your case. Call (562) 206-1939 or submit the Contact Form on our website to set up a free initial consultation with a personal injury attorney in Long Beach.

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Michael Waks

Michael Waks is an aggressive advocate for people who have suffered because of someone else’s actions. Michael decided to become a personal injury lawyer when, while clerking at a legal defense firm during law school, he witnessed and was infuriated by asbestos manufacturers spending millions to avoid taking responsibility for the egregious injuries they caused. Immediately after passing the bar, Michael opened his own firm in Long Beach, CA to help the victims of personal injury accidents get every benefit owed them under the law.