Four questions to ask when you’re consulting an auto accident lawyer in Dallas Tx

Need an auto accident lawyer in Dallas, Texas? Here are four questions you need to ask to find the right legal help for your case. 

In an ideal world we’d never need an auto accident lawyer. But with Dallas coming in as one of the Texas cities with the highest number of car accidents, there’s a chance that you might one day need to hire someone to fight a case for you.

And when this happens you need to make sure you choose the right lawyer. But how can you know who to pick? What clues are there that a lawyer is honest, hardworking and will genuinely do their best to win your case? Or even that they have the competence to do so?

Four questions to ask when you’re consulting an auto accident lawyer in Dallas Tx

To help you find the right auto accident lawyer in Dallas, here are four questions you need to ask.

1) What’s your background and experience?

To get an initial consultation with your prospective lawyers, you can use an automobile law site. Your first appointment is your chance to find out about the lawyer’s professional background and experience.

Here’s what you need to ask:

  • How long have you been practicing personal injury law? Their length of practice in personal injury law gives you an idea of  how knowledgeable the lawyer may be in dealing with auto accident cases.
  • How many auto accident cases have you handled and how many have been settled? Knowing the ratio of the cases they handle that have been settled gives you an idea of how the attorney deals with them.
  • What cases have you considered successful? This gives you a clue about how dedicated they may be in settling or fighting for cases like yours.
  • Which bar or professional associations are you a member of? Being involved in professional organizations is a sign a lawyer has a network and is interested in developing their profession.
  • What training have you had relating to auto accident cases? And when was the most recent?
    Continuing education is necessary for lawyers to enhance their skills in dealing with specific types of cases.

2) How will you assess my case?

After getting to know a lawyer’s  professional background, it’s time to talk about your case. Describe the car accident and the injuries you have incurred, and ask their opinion about your car insurance and your case. To help you evaluate their opinions, ask these questions:

  • What is the possible financial settlement or judgment can I receive? An honest lawyer will give you an idea of how your case may work out after assessing it.
  • What are the factors that we can use in my favor? This question can reveal how much effort they’ll put into your case to deliver the best results.
  • How long will my case take? You know if your case can go a long way or can be settled quickly, so asking this question will help identify honest lawyers from the ones seeking higher fees.

3) What’s your approach and style?

It is vital to know how lawyers deal with cases like auto accidents and their clients. Here are some questions you need to ask with regards to their style and method:

  • What is the best method to handle auto accident cases? It is important to know if the attorney is willing to fight your claims with an insurance company, even if it needs to go to trial.
  • What is your approach in handling car accident injury cases? This will help you assess whether their approach will suit your needs.
  • How do you deal with clients? Knowing how they will connect with you helps you gauge their professionalism.
  • Will you ask me to make decisions or tell me what to do? You need a lawyer who’s not just a yes-man (or woman), but who who will guide you down the right path to win your case.”To: “You need a lawyer who’s not just a yes-man (or woman), but who who will guide you down the right path, if you feel at all threatened by your insurance company tricks, trying to reduce your claim costs.

4) What’s your case management practice?

It is also important to know how your auto accident case will be administratively managed. These questions will help to enlighten you:

  • Will you be the actual attorney to manage my case or a different lawyer will manage it? You can measure their dedication in your case by whether they’re handling it from start to finish without relying on other partners.
  • If my case will go to trial, will you personally represent me? The same principle applies here – you don’t want to carefully choose one lawyer, only for them to send a proxy to represent you in court.
  • Will you contact me for progress reports? You’ll want to know whether or not there is any progress in your case.
  • How can I reach you? How quickly can you respond? A lawyer who is easily reachable is usually more responsive.

Choose your auto accident lawyer carefully

Asking the right questions during your initial consultation with an auto accident lawyer will help you hire the right person for your case. It’s important to choose an experienced and well-knowledgeable lawyer who is a good fit for your case.

After all, if you want to win your case and get the right value for your claim you need a competent and dedicated auto accident lawyer.

Photo by Ian Valerio