If you have been injured because of another party’s negligent or wrongful actions, you have the right to be compensated for your damages. One of the most important decisions you will make is choosing the right lawyer to help you recover maximum compensation.
The first thing you should look for in a personal injury attorney is whether they have successfully handled cases like yours before. After reviewing their online profiles, you need to narrow your choice down to a few that you would like to interview.
Most personal injury attorneys offer a free initial consultation to discuss your case and learn more about them. Even though you have not yet hired an attorney, your consultation is covered by the attorney-client privilege and is confidential.
Schedule consultations with your top three choices. Write down your questions before your meeting and take them with you. As you ask your prepared questions, others may come up.
Be sure you understand the answers to your questions. Don’t be afraid to tell them you do not understand something or to ask them to explain further.
You need answers to the questions below when deciding whether to retain a personal injury attorney in Oklahoma City for your case.
15 Essential Questions To Ask During a Consultation with a Personal Injury Lawyer
- What experience do you have with cases similar to mine, and what is your success rate in those cases? You want to know that your attorney has successfully handled cases similar to yours and has recovered maximum client compensation.
- What is the deadline for filing my claim? Every Oklahoma personal injury claim has a statute of limitations that sets the deadline for when you must file your claim. If you miss your deadline, you will be barred from bringing your claim and be unable to recover compensation for your injuries.
- Do you think I have a good chance of winning my case? Attorneys can not guarantee the outcome of a case. However, they should be able to tell you whether your claim has merit.
- What problems do you see with my case? An experienced attorney may offer insight into what areas of your case might be weak and what can be done to strengthen them. Find out if you can do anything to help your chances of a successful outcome.
- What legal approach will you use to maximize my chances of a successful outcome? You want to determine if your attorney has at least a general game plan for how they would build your case.
- Do most of your cases settle or go to trial? How will we decide whether to settle my case or go to trial? How many cases like mine have you successfully tried?
- How much do you think my case is worth? An attorney may find this difficult to tell you in an initial consultation. However, they may be able to give you a range based on similar cases they have handled.
- How much do you charge? Almost all personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, so the client does not owe legal fees unless you win your case. You need to know how much of a percentage will be owed to the attorney.
- Does that percentage change if the case does not settle and must be tried? Would you take an appeal if we are unsuccessful at trial? If so, will you charge a larger percentage for your fees?
- What about the costs and expenses of handling my case? In many cases, your attorney will pay for filing fees, travel expenses, deposition expenses, and many other necessary and costly expenses out of their own pocket.
However, some attorneys ask for the client to bear some of this burden. Be sure you know upfront whether you will be responsible for any expenses at all. You also want to know how those costs and expenses will be billed to your case and deducted from your settlement or award.
If your case is unsuccessful, be sure you will not be responsible for reimbursing the attorney for any expenses and costs paid out on your case.
- What is your strategy for getting my case resolved as quickly as possible and preventing the defendants from dragging out litigation? When you have been injured, you need help sooner rather than later. You want an attorney who will keep your case moving forward to reach a full and fair settlement as soon as possible.
- How will you prove that the defendants are at fault? What evidence will you need? Is there anything that I can do to help?
- How will you prove the expense of my future medical treatment and lost wages? Will expert witnesses be used, and if so, how much will those costs likely be?
- How will you prove the extent of my pain and suffering, mental and emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and other subjective damages? Are there things I can do to help prove these damages?
- What other suggestions or instructions can you give me to help build my strongest case?
Statute of Limitations for Oklahoma Personal Injury Claims
A statute of limitations sets the deadline for when you must file your claim. If you miss your deadline, you will be barred from bringing an action to recover damages.
Oklahoma Statute §12:95 sets the statute of limitations for most personal injury claims at two years. This means you have two years from the date of your accident to file your claim.
However, there are some exceptions to the two-year deadline. In some cases, you may have longer and in others, you may have a shorter deadline.
You must promptly consult an experienced Oklahoma City accident lawyer to determine your deadline for filing a claim.
In addition to knowing your deadline for filing a claim, you need to quickly consult an attorney to help preserve vital evidence to support your claim.
Evidence can be destroyed, lost, or diminished over time. So, you want your attorney to take action quickly to secure the evidence needed to prove your claim and build a strong case.
Call Warhawk Legal For a Free Consultation
If you have been injured in an accident caused by another party, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages after an injury in Oklahoma City.
You need to choose a personal injury lawyer you can count on to protect your rights and help you recover maximum compensation. You also want your attorney to get your case resolved as quickly as possible.
At Warhawk Legal, we have been winning big for our clients for over twenty years. We have recovered many multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts. Our proven record of success speaks for itself.
Schedule a free consultation and ask us the questions you want answered. We look forward to meeting you, listening to you, answering your questions, and explaining your rights.
If we represent you, we will fight tirelessly to get you every dollar you deserve. Call (405) 397-1717 or visit our contact page to schedule your consultation.