In case your loved one is involved in a car or an accident that causes personal injury, it can be a horrible event, requiring you to make difficult decisions often with urgency. Otherwise, things might turn from bad to worse. One such choice is getting a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer. However, Adamson Ahdoot suggests the need to ask the lawyer critical question before you formalize your engagement, and is a critical pointer to know whether they are a perfect fit for your case or not  

Below are seven critical questions to ask a Los Angeles personal injury lawyer;    

• Have you handled this type of case before?

The personal injury lawyer can be knowledgeable on the history of the judges and the courts where the hearing will be conducted. Knowing the orientation of juries pertaining to similar cases and the nature of cases that have succeeded in Los Angeles courts can be of valuable importance. This question will help you in judging whether the personal injury lawyer will provide you with formidable guidance on how to approach the case. On his part the attorney may want to know if you have already laid claim with an insurance firm and did not get assistance, this claim should be paid within 24-48 hours as required by most insurance firms in Los Angeles. It is only after the claim is denied that you can file a lawsuit.  

• Do you have trial experience?

With only a sizeable number of personal injury cases managing to get to trial, most of them are completed through an out of court settlement. As a client, you need to conduct due diligence and know whether your lawyer is experienced with trial cases, with the ability to win over your case when the only option is litigation. Similarly, understand if the personal injury attorney is an excellent negotiator who can prevail in getting you the best bargain in both in and out of court settlements. As part of tr

• What is the worth of my case?

The personal injury lawyer can give a rough estimate in the compensation amount with regard to the facts pertinent to the case. In Los Angeles, cases of personal injury that involve higher compensation are filed in the Superior Court’s civil division, while claims amounting to $10,000 or less in damages are taken to the small claims division.

Some of the factors that determine the value of your case are the wages lost, medical expenses, mental distress, and physical pain suffered due to an accident. Similarly, the level of negligence on the part of the defendant is critical factors in determining the worth of your case. For instance, if you get involved in an incident as a result of an auto part that was not functioning correctly and which the manufacturer was well aware of, then such compensation can be considerably high. 

• Do you have any conflicts of interest in dealing with my case

No clients ask for more than having a personal injury lawyer that is unequivocally on your side. Your lawyer has every moral right to keep you abreast of any looming conflict of interest they might have in your case. A good example is contracting a lawyer who is a business associate of your defendant. This can be a costly mistake on your part. 

• What approach would you adopt in my case?

Your lawyer should inform you about the approach they will use in handling the case. Some of the common strategies that they use include: filling a liability claim and personal injury claim. Ask them if they believe your workplace injury case has a third party claim. For each strategy, the lawyer proposes to let them be clear to you about its pros and cons and offer you other options you can use to move on with the case. In Los Angeles, the most common injuries causing accidents include: vehicle accidents,premises liability, construction and workplace accidents.

• What’s your evaluation of my personal injury case?

This is perhaps one of the essential questions in your briefing with the personal injury lawyer. An honest analysis of your injury case should be made depending on the facts that you have presented about your situation. It is not all the time, however, that you will be guaranteed success due to the number of the existing variables, at the onset. It is also important that the attorney ensure that you comply with the time limitations in filing the lawsuit, in Los Angeles and the statute limitation of filing a personal injury lawsuit is two years whether it is against an individual or non-government institution as part of the      

• How will you communicate with me?

As a client, your personal injury lawyer should keep you informed throughout the process. Your lawyer should not leave you in a state of confusion about anything, but he should be able to demonstrate clarity of all relevant information about those responsible for handling your case file, in addition to names and contact details.  In the course of your consultation, the attorney should brief you first hand on how often they will be updated on the case details. It is also advisable that you can communicate with the lawyer directly when the need arises, so you should get such clarification in advance. 

Conclusion

The quality of the legal firm and their competence is fundamental and can make or break your case. So, it is imperative to ask the lawyer questions like; if they have handled such a situation before as part of their trial experience. Also, inquire about the worth of your case and make an effort to know if your attorney could be having any conflict of interest. Furthermore, understand the approach they intend to use and the fees you have to pay as well as their apparent evaluation of your case. You should also know how you will streamline communications during the case, and it’s strengths and weaknesses.