Six Questions To Ask an Austin Personal Injury Lawyer During a Free Consultation

If you were injured by another person’s carelessness, such as in a car accident or motorcycle accident, you might be eligible for compensation for your injuries. When you are injured and focused on your recovery, you might choose to hire an Austin personal injury lawyer who can handle your claim.

A lawyer can protect your rights, explain your legal options, advise whether the insurance company is acting in good faith, and negotiate for fair compensation.

However, not all lawyers are the same. The lawyer you choose can significantly affect how much compensation you leave with and how your claim is ultimately handled. Fortunately, many personal injury lawyers offer a free consultation so you can get to know them, and they can explain how they can help.

Below, we have provided a list of six questions to ask an Austin personal injury attorney during a free consultation.

1. What Types of Cases Do You Usually Handle?

One of the most important questions you can ask a lawyer you are considering hiring is what types of cases they handle. Some lawyers focus exclusively on personal injury cases. Others may handle criminal defense cases or family law. Some attorneys describe themselves as general practice lawyers and handle a variety of cases.

If you have been injured in an accident caused by another person’s negligence, you might want to hire a lawyer who focuses solely on personal injury cases. While many lawyers may be equipped to handle the case, personal injury lawyers work with these types of cases on a regular basis. They understand the process and routinely work with insurance adjusters.

In addition to handling personal injury cases, you might also want to consider hiring a lawyer who handles your specific type of case. After all, handling a truck accident case is much different than handling a work injury case.

Personal injury lawyers who have experience handling cases similar to yours will know the laws involved. They may have also developed specific skills and resources that help with that type of claim.

Ready to speak with an experienced lawyer?

Contact us for a no cost consultation

2. What Types of Compensation Can I Recover for My Injuries?

One of the most important aspects of your case is the compensation you can pursue. This compensation can help you get back on your feet after your life is derailed by an accident.

In a Texas personal injury case, you may be able to recover the following types of damages:

• Economic damages – Economic damages are intended to compensate a victim for the financial losses they incurred, which may include property damage, medical expenses, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, out-of-pocket expenses, and other losses that are directly tied to an economic loss.
• Non-economic damages – Non-economic damages refer to other losses that a victim suffers that cannot be easily quantified. Examples include physical pain and suffering, mental or emotional pain, anguish, or distress, disfigurement, physical impairment, loss of companionship and society, inconvenience, loss of consortium, injury to reputation, and loss of enjoyment of life.
• Exemplary damages – Exemplary damages (also known as punitive damages) are meant to punish the defendant.

An experienced personal injury lawyer can review the circumstances surrounding your claim and explain the types of damages that may be available. They can also estimate the compensation you may be able to recover as they compile evidence of your losses.

3. How Will We Communicate About My Case?

Lawyers are responsible for keeping in touch with their clients and keeping them informed about the status of their case so they can make informed decisions.

However, there may be various ways to communicate with your lawyer, such as:

• Letter
• Phone call
• Text messaging
• Email
• Social media messages
• Client portals on attorney websites

During the free consultation, you can ask the lawyer about their method of communication. You can also ask how often you can expect to receive updates regarding your case.

4. How Long Will It Take To Settle My Personal Injury Case?

Most personal injury cases are ultimately resolved through an insurance settlement. While you may be anxious to promptly settle your case so you can get the money you need for medical expenses and other bills, it may be in your best interest to wait for a settlement and more money.

For example, you probably don’t want to settle your case before your doctor determines you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). MMI is the point where you are as good as you’re going to get from a medical perspective. Before this point, you might not be aware of the full extent of your injuries or be able to reasonably estimate the value of future medical services.

If you settle your case too early and you later incur unexpected medical expenses, you probably won’t be able to get more money from the insurance company.

Unfortunately, your lawyer may not be able to tell you exactly how long it will take to resolve your personal injury case. This is because every case is different.

Factors that may affect the settlement timeline of your case include:

• The complexity of your case
• The parties involved
• The insurance company involved
• The number of parties involved
• The nature and extent of your injuries
• The type of case

Look for a personal injury attorney who is honest with you about the potential timeline of your case but who will also expedite your claim without compromising your right to fair compensation.

5. Do You Have Trial Experience?

If your case does not settle, your next option is to file a lawsuit against the negligent party who caused your injuries. If this situation arises, you want a lawyer who has trial experience and a track record of success.

You can ask the lawyer during the free consultation about their trial experience. Ask how many cases they’ve tried and the outcome. You can also ask about their results out of court.

6. How Do You Charge for Your Legal Services?

Finally, you should ask how you will be charged for your attorney’s services. Different lawyers charge in different ways. For example, some lawyers may charge by the hour or a flat rate for their services.

Personal injury lawyers generally charge on a contingency fee basis. This means that payment for their services is contingent on the outcome of your case. If they recover compensation for you, they receive an agreed-upon percentage of your recovery. If they do not recover compensation, you do not owe them any money for their services.

In addition to attorney’s fees, you might also be charged for various costs associated with your case, such as:

• Copying costs
• Court costs
• Investigator fees
• Deposition costs
• Subpoena fees
• Legal service fees
• Expert witness fees
• Travel costs

Your retainer agreement should outline the costs associated with your case and when you are responsible for paying them.

See what our clients think about us

Watch these video testimonials

Most Austin Personal Injury Attorneys Offer a Free Consultation, So Schedule Yours Today

Because many personal injury lawyers offer a free consultation, you can take advantage of it to interview several attorneys. You will be working with the lawyer for months to come, so it’s important you get a sense of what the relationship will be like. You can also compare each lawyer’s answers to your questions before deciding which one to hire. Contact our law firm FVF Law at (512) 982-9328 to schedule a free consultation and get the process started.