So, you’ve been in a motorcycle collision and decided to hire a lawyer, or at the very least, benefit from a free consultation. You are making a wise choice! The aftermath of a Phoenix motorcycle crash can be a terrible and overwhelming experience, but working with the right attorney can make the healing process much easier. Not sure what to ask? We’ve got you covered.
Motorcycle riders who are injured deserve a personal injury attorney who knows the kind of support their clients need. An experienced Phoenix motorcycle accident lawyer will fight to get your medical bills paid. Your lawyer will also make sure that you get paid for your property damage, lost wages, and pain and suffering and will help you get the medical care that you need to heal.
The sheer fact that you hired a personal injury lawyer proves that you mean business. So make sure that you make the most of your case consultation by planning ahead and selecting the questions that would help your case the most.
This article will cover the best questions to ask your motorcycle accident lawyer in your initial meeting and why these inquiries are beneficial to your injury claim.
Ask Your Attorney Questions About Their Experience and Accomplishments
These questions can help you get a sense of the lawyer’s caseload and background. An attorney with extensive litigation experience will be equipped to fight for you to receive fair compensation and won’t settle for lowball offers from the insurance company.
Also, insurance adjusters do their homework on the firm that you choose. They are more inclined to make an offer quickly if they believe an attorney will successfully prosecute them. To find out their experience and skill level, consider the following:
- Where did they go to law school, and in what year did they graduate?
- How many years have they practiced personal injury law?
- What is their record of settling cases vs. going to trial?
- Do they participate in any professional organizations or bar associations?
- If not, how do they stay up to date with personal injury law?
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Ask About Their Experience With Motorcycle Cases
The more that they know about what it takes to resolve a motorcycle collision case, the better. You want someone who has successfully handled collision cases involving motorcycle victims and preferably has some basic knowledge of how motorcycles drive differently than cars. Ask your motorcycle accident attorney the following questions in your case evaluation:
- How long have they been representing motorcycle accident cases?
- How many similar cases have they handled that compare to yours, and what has been the typical outcome?
- Have they ever ridden or driven a motorcycle?
- How many motorcycle accident cases do they take in a year?
- Which motorcycle laws do they know would assist your case?
Inquire About Their Strategy or Assessment of Your Injury Claim
Bring a summary of your accident, including significant information such as injuries and other losses you sustained as a result of the accident, to the case review. Then, inquire about the lawyer’s opinion on your case. Some possible talking points are:
- In reviewing your case, what do they perceive to be a realistic settlement award amount?
- Have they negotiated with the other party’s insurance company before?
- What strategy will they implement to recoup damages in your case?
- What are your chances of needing to go to trial, or is a settlement your best option?
- Do they have an estimate on how long your case will take to resolve?
- Will they need to hire experts to solidify your claim?
- What present factors hurt or help your case?
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Ask Your Motorcycle Crash Lawyer About Their Communication Standards
Communication is important for the success of your claim and for upholding a mutually respectful client-attorney relationship. In your first meeting, you should ask your motorcycle collision attorney the following regarding communication expectations:
- What is this law firm’s standard for communicating with clients?
- How do they uphold or exceed this company standard?
- What are their hours of availability?
- What is their preferred method of communication?
- What is the turnaround time for responses by phone, text, or email?
- Do they have a designated assistant or paralegal who screens their calls?
- How often will they update you regarding your case?
- Is no news good news, or should you initiate contact?
- What communication expectations do they have for their clients?
These questions should be answered in a manner that leaves you feeling confident in your legal counsel. Knowing that your attorney will not miss deadlines, under-communicate, or fail to explain new developments in your motorcycle injury case is crucial.
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Vocalize Your Questions About Caseload Management and Billing Structure
Case management and billing should be discussed immediately and openly during the complimentary consultation. Although most personal injury forms work on a contingency-fee -basis, it could be a costly assumption to make. Find out who and how much are behind your legal services by reviewing the following:
- Will your case be assigned to another attorney, or will it be with the attorney hosting the consultation?
- Will there be a team assisting them in compiling evidence and strategizing on your case?
- Who will be your routine point of contact?
- If your case goes to trial, will the attorneys who are representing you change?
- How does their firm bill for personal injury cases?
- What is the standard attorney’s fee that is charged, and is it negotiable?
- Are there any additional costs to be aware of?
- How will your settlement award be given to you?
You can ask for examples of billing breakdowns if you need a visual of how percentages of your settlement will be acquired. If the law firm’s attorneys don’t have a scalable workload that allows proper time to be devoted to your case, it will be evident in how many people are actively working on your case.
Last But Not Least, Research Their Ethical Standards
If you are uncomfortable asking your motorcycle injury attorney in the initial session about the details of their ethical standards, you can do the following to find out before the first meeting:
- Verify the attorney’s licensing: To confirm that they are qualified to practice law in your state, you can check the attorney’s license with the state bar organization. You can look up attorneys and check the status of their licenses in the online directories maintained by the majority of state bar associations.
- You can also check with the state bar organization to discover if the lawyer has ever faced any disciplinary action for ethical transgressions. The website of the state bar usually has access to this data.
You can ask the lawyer about their moral principles and any codes of behavior they adhere to. A lot of lawyers have their own codes of conduct. To question the lawyer directly, you can start with:
- Ask them to explain a time when they faced an ethical dilemma and how they resolved it.
- Briefly describe their moral code as an attorney
- Have they ever had to recuse themselves from a case? Under what conditions do they find this necessary?
- How do they resolve conflict with their clients?
Additionally, look for online evaluations to find out if any former customers have expressed ethical issues or complaints. Remember, a reputable motorcycle attorney will possess strong analytical abilities, outstanding communication skills, honesty and integrity, empathy, and a dedication to lifelong learning.
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