If you have been injured in an auto accident in Kentucky, the attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer are ready to answer your questions. It may help if you prepare a list of important questions to ask a lawyer during a free case evaluation.
Essential Questions to Ask a Car Accident Attorney
During your initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer, you should ask questions that can provide you with information about the attorney’s experience handling similar cases and working style. The top questions to ask a lawyer after a car accident include:
Do I have a case?
The consultation will allow a car accident attorney to gather the auto accident details and assess whether you have a personal injury claim. During the consultation, the attorney will review any documents you’ve brought, such as a police accident report or photos of the auto accident. The attorney will ask you to recall the circumstances of the crash and answer your car accident questions.
With this information, the personal injury attorney can assess whether another party’s negligence likely caused the car accident. The lawyer will look for negligent behavior on the part of others involved in the collision, such as speeding, distracted driving, reckless driving, or other traffic violations. The attorney will also assess whether you share any responsibility for the accident. That could affect your right to pursue a claim or the compensation you might recover under Kentucky’s comparative fault rules.
What could my case be worth?
An attorney cannot guarantee any specific outcome or amount of compensation in a personal injury case. However, a car accident lawyer can review the documentation of your injuries and anticipated future expenses to calculate the appropriate amount to seek.
In a car accident case, you may have the right to demand compensation for various financial and personal losses, such as:
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation expenses.
- Costs of replacement services, such as housekeeping or childcare, if your disabilities interfere with your ability to perform daily tasks.
- Costs of long-term disability care.
- Future loss of income due to permanent disabilities limiting your ability to work or forcing you to take a lower-paying job.
- Physical pain and emotional distress.
- Lost quality of life due to disabilities or scarring and disfigurement.
- Costs of car repairs or replacement.
Various factors will influence the value of your car accident case, including:
- The type and severity of the injuries you suffered.
- The kinds of medical care and rehabilitation you need.
- Whether your injuries result in permanent disabilities.
- Whether you need to take time off work during your recovery.
- Whether you need long-term disability care or personal assistance.
- The number of potentially liable parties.
- Whether you share any responsibility for causing the car accident.
- The insurance coverage available to pay claims.
How long could my case take to settle or go to trial?
It depends on many factors, including the severity of your injuries. Some cases settle in a few months, while personal injury cases that go to trial can take more than a year to resolve. Most car accident cases end in a settlement and do not go to trial.
Numerous factors can affect the duration of your car accident claim, such as:
- The nature of your injuries
- The duration of your medical care and amount of medical expenses
- The complexity of the evidence in your case
- The number of potentially liable parties
- Whether you bear some of the fault for the car accident
- The opposing party’s willingness to settle
- Whether the at-fault driver has liability insurance
- The speed with which the insurance adjuster processes your claim and responds to settlement demands
- Whether you need to file a lawsuit to pursue your car accident claim
- The schedule imposed on your case by the trial court presiding over your lawsuit
Our experienced personal injury attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer can give you a realistic assessment of how long your case may take based on the specific factors of your injury claim.
Will my case go to trial?
Most car accident cases end with a settlement rather than a trial. However, an experienced personal injury attorney will prepare your case as if it’s going to trial from day one. An auto accident case, backed by solid evidence of your injuries and the other driver’s fault, offers the best chance of a favorable outcome. Your attorney will work hard to obtain a fair and full settlement. Having an attorney with trial experience makes the insurance company understand that you are serious about receiving fair compensation for your injuries and related losses.
A trial becomes more likely in a car accident case that involves circumstances such as:
- Severe injuries,
- Disputes about whether the car accident caused specific injuries,
- Disputed fault about the accident, including the percentage of responsibility each party bears for the crash,
- Disputes about insurance coverage.
Do you concentrate on car accident claims or handle various personal injury cases?
You need an attorney with significant experience in car accident cases. Although many personal injury lawyers focus exclusively on injury-related claims, hiring an attorney with extensive knowledge of handling significant injury claims can improve your chances of success.
You may also consider the size of the attorney’s law firm or practice. Established law firms will have more resources to investigate cases. Some law firms combine the experience and resources of larger firms with the personal touch of a smaller firm.
Who will be working directly on my case?
You should understand who will handle your claim before hiring a law firm for your car accident case. In some firms, a client may have an initial consultation with a senior partner who will assign an associate to work on the case. Some firms also assign a paralegal or case manager as the client’s contact person.
How will you communicate with me and provide updates on my case?
During an initial consultation, you should explore the car accident attorney’s working style to ensure that you and the attorney will have a productive relationship. You can confirm the attorney’s preferred method of communication or the best way to get a quick response to a question. Lawyers prefer various means of keeping in touch with clients, including emails, phone calls, text messages, or client portals on the attorney’s firm’s website.
You can also ask how frequently you should expect your attorney to update you on the status of your case. Some attorneys may give you regular updates regardless of whether your case has progressed. Other attorneys prefer to contact clients with updates when something meaningful has occurred, such as receiving a settlement offer from the insurance company.
How does your fee structure work?
Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. The client pays nothing upfront to hire an attorney in a contingency fee arrangement. Instead, the attorney receives a legal fee only if they obtain compensation for the client through a settlement or a trial verdict. The fee will be an agreed-upon share of the total amount recovered for the client.
At the beginning of the case, the attorney and the client will agree upon the percentage the attorney will earn. An attorney may receive a higher percentage in a case that progresses to a lawsuit or trial, reflecting the additional work the attorney puts into the case.
In addition, the attorney may have the right to reimbursement for expenses the lawyer incurred in preparing and pursuing the case, such as court filing costs, deposition expenses, or expert witness fees.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney Today
After you’ve gotten hurt in a car crash in Kentucky, hiring an experienced attorney offers the best chance of recovering fair compensation for your injuries and losses. The Kentucky Courage attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer are known for standing up to big insurance companies and demanding total compensation for injured Kentuckians.
Contact us today for a free consultation. You can talk to an attorney about your legal options and learn how our firm can help you pursue money for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.
