If you have been injured in an accident – whether an auto accident, slip and fall accident, or a medical mistake – you are likely hurt, angry, and confused. A skilled personal injury attorney can be instrumental in getting you the financial recovery that you deserve following an accident or injury.
Hiring the right personal injury attorney is key, however, and it can be difficult to know who to hire. At Cogan & Power, P.C. we offer a FREE CONSULTATION to help our clients get a better understanding of how we can help them with their legal claim.
It is important to discuss a few key matters with any potential attorney before hiring him or her. When meeting with a personal injury lawyer for the first time, you should make sure discuss the following:
- Legal Experience. It is important to hire an attorney who has the knowledge and experience that you need. Accordingly, you should find out what types of cases the personal injury attorney focuses on and how much experience he or she has with settlements and trials.
- Fee arrangement. Most personal injury attorneys, including the Chicago personal injury lawyers at Cogan & Power, charge a contingency fee for legal services. In other words, you won’t pay unless you recover money damages. But lawyers can charge varying contingency fees so it is important to find out what percentage the lawyer will collect, and whether he or she will charge for incidentals, such as court filing fees.
- Statute of Limitations. Each legal claim has a statute of limitations, or time limit, during which the case can be filed. You should immediately find out what the statute of limitations is for your case so that you do not miss any important deadlines.
- Possible Damages. While an attorney should not make any specific promises or guarantees of recovery, a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer should be able to educate you about the possible damages, as well as the strengths and weakness of your case.
- Necessary Information. You will want to find out what information the personal injury lawyers needs from you in order to assess your case and get started with filing the necessary documents. For instance, you should find out if the lawyer needs a police report, medical records, or employment information so that you can obtain the necessary information.
- Settlement versus Litigation. A knowledgeable personal injury lawyer should explain to you the difference between settlement and litigation, and should have experience with both.
- Lawyer’s Caseload. You want a lawyer who has the necessary experience, but one who is also not too busy to adequately represent you.
- References. Ask about other cases that the lawyer has worked on and ask for client references.
- Method of Communication. You should discuss how the lawyer will communicate with you, whether by mail, email, or telephone – or all of the above – so that the lines of communication stay open.
- Communication with Insurance Company. Insurance companies can be difficult to deal with after an accident or injury, especially after an auto accident. You should discuss what and how to communicate with your insurance company after an accident. In many situations, the personal injury lawyer will communicate with the insurance company on your behalf.
If you have been injured in a personal injury incident caused by the negligence of another, contact the Chicago personal injury law firm of Cogan & Power at (312) 477-2500 to schedule a free consultation to learn more about your personal injury rights and remedies. If you cannot come to our offices in downtown Chicago, we will come to you. And because we take cases on a contingency basis, you will not pay any fee unless we get you compensation.