If you had a truck accident and got hurt in the process, we wish you all the best in recovery. If you’re already feeling better, the right move would be to hire an attorney who would handle the claim on your behalf. The first thing you’ll probably think about is whether you have a claim or not, and many people have this approach. While you’re right to think about it this way, you have many more questions that need to be asked before you go to court. In most instances consultations are free, and if you know the right questions to ask, it will be easier for you to determine if you’re talking with the right lawyer.
Now, if this is your first time having an accident involving a truck, you probably don’t know what are these questions we’re talking about. Worry not, this is why we’re here. This article aims to help people by giving them the proper five things to ask a truck accident lawyer before hiring. Read carefully, and if there’s an accident (God forbid), these will be truly helpful.
1. Ask About Their Previous Cases
This is the right place to start any and all conversation. What you should be looking to find out, is if they even handled a case involving a truck before. If they go around about it, not claiming they had numerous successful cases, but instead saying they had a few, you should pay attention to it. You should always look to hire experienced professionals. While in big law firms these cases will most likely be handled by junior lawyers, they have the experience of their many colleagues at their disposal. If you’re hiring a smaller law firm, you should be assured of their ability to handle the case properly, and asking about their experience is the way to go from the start. If you want to talk with professionals immediately feel free to contact The Embry Law Firm.
2. Legal Fees Matter
Even if you’re the victim of a truck accident, you need to be aware there’ll be some legal fees even for you. This should be one of your primary concerns, and you should be direct about it. Most law firms operate the same way, and when it comes to truck accidents they are usually handled through a contingency fee. What this means, there will be no legal fees for you, until the moment you win. In a situation your claim fails, you’re freed of any payments. The amount that you’ll be due to your lawyers depends solely on the agreement you made prior to the case, and it could be dependent on the amount you claim. All of this you can hear from your attorneys, don’t let us play The Devil’s Advocate for you as Keanu Reeves brilliantly did.
3. Contact And Communication
When it comes to the work of any lawyer communication is essential. Truck accidents are different. Maybe in the future when Tesla trucks start ruling the world of highways, there’ll be fewer accidents but for now, we have them in abundance. When you have one, having an attorney is vital, and having the right contact with one even more. It is essential that you’re on the same plain, and use the same methods of communication. If you’re not, there might be miscommunication, and this will make your case harder to end. So, it is vital for you to tell your lawyer the preferred mean of communication you use, and make sure that they use the same, so there’s no missed calls or unanswered messages. Luckily, today there’s plenty of methods of communicating such as Viber, FaceTime, e-Mail, or simple phone calls which are still the standard.
4. Is it Worth The Effort
The first thing that comes to mind regarding truck accidents is the trauma. There will be one. For many victims, settlement isn’t as important; they only want to move forward and leave everything behind. Don’t get us wrong, moving on is important, and having a focus on recovery and getting your life back is vital. But, so as justice and compensation. For many, dealing with lawyers and courts seems like too much to handle after having a severe trauma. This is fine, but if you had some serious injuries, and had to miss time at work due to them, you should think twice, before moving one before making a claim. If you fail to get compensated you’ll be the one charged with all medical bills and any future expenses in that domain. We should also mention that your life will be put on hold, and you miss time from work, paycheques, or even get fired depending on the ethics of your employer. You should know that many people who don’t pursue their rights in court regret the decision later. Even if you decide to file a lawsuit later, in some instances it might be too late. So, if you are having second thoughts and doubts, contact a lawyer to talk the issue through.
5. Will I Go To Trial?
Even if you are well versed in this domain, this question needs to be asked. Personal injury lawsuits are rarely handled by a judge and a jury because they’re mostly handled through settlements and rarely through arbitration. If any case heads to a judge or a grand jury, lawyers try their best to prevent it as it can be time-consuming for everyone involved.
But, approximately 5% of cases do end up on trial. If your case is one of them, you need to make sure that your attorney is prepared for that scenario.
When it comes to a trial you’ll need them to stand up for you and win you the case. This is why it’s vital that you’re aware of their legal background which we pointed out in the first paragraph.
Legal knowledge is vital on trial because if you lose the case in that stage, expenses might be too much to handle. So, if you want to have a painless legal experience, after having a painful truck injury, please follow the advice we laid out above.
For more information about truck accident cases visit https://baumgartnerlawyers.com/houston-truck-accident-lawyer/
