News & opinion Questions to Ask a Lawyer About a Car Accident

Questions to Ask a Lawyer About a Car Accident

Car Accident Attorney Woman Raising hand asking question

So, you h

ve you

sho

t list of

tto

neys you think m

y be

ble to help you

fte

you

c

ccident

nd inju

ies. Ho

do you kno

if you even h

ve

c

se? Ho

c

n you tell

hich lyeill do the best possible job fo

you?

hen you c

ll

l fi

m o

meet

ith

lye

in pe

son, you h

ve the oppo

tunity to

sk m

ny questions

bout both the

ccident

nd the

tto

ney—

nd you should

l

ys m

ke the most of this oppo

tunity! Eve

y l fi

m should be

illing to tho

oughly

ns

e

you

questions to ensu

e you best unde

st

nd youights

nd thei

leg

l se

vices. Once you get on the phone ottend

meeting, it c

n be e

sy to fo

get m

ny of the issues you

nted to

dd

ess. It c

n be

good ide

to p

ep

e

checklist of questions

he

d of time to m

ke su

e you get

ll the info

m

tion you need to m

ke you

decision

hethe

to hi

e

n

tto

ney. The follo

ing is only one ex

mple of

list of questions you m

y

nt to

sk

potenti

l lyefte c

ccident.

C

n I Expect Compens

tion fo

My Inju

ies?

You m

y h

ve

feeling th

t you h

ve the

ight to compens

tion

fte

c

sh, though it c

n be difficult to kno

fo

su

e, especi

lly if the othe

p

ty involved is denying li

bility.

l

ye

ill g

the lot of info

m

tion

bout ho

the

ccident h

ppened,

hethe

the police issued cit

tions o

m

de

ests,

nd mo

e. The lye

is t

ying to dete

mine

hethenothe

p

ty m

y be held

esponsible fo

you

losses.

You

ill h

ve the

ight to seek compens

tion f

om

nothe

pty th

t

cted <

h

ef="https:

/

.l.co

nell.edu/

ex

negligence”>negligently > to c

use the c

ccident. The

e

e m

ny diffe

ent types of negligence th

t m

y

esult in

se

ious

ccident,

nd the li

ble p

ties m

y include othe

d

ive

s, the employe

s of on-the-job-d

ive

s, c m

nuf

ctu

e

s,

nd mo

e. Some ex

mples of negligence th

t le

d to compens

tion fo

victims include:

  • Dist

    cted d

    iving<

    li>

  • D
    unk d

    iving

  • gg

    essive d

    iving<

    li>

  • Viol
    ting tffic ls<

    li>

  • Defective
    uto pts<

    li>

  • H
    zdous

    o

    ds<

    li>

In some c

ses,

ns

e

ing this question

ill

equi

e fu

the

investig

tion by the l

fi

m, including inte

vie

ing

itnesses o

consulting

ith c

ccident expe

ts. They

nt to get enough info

m

tion to decide

hethe

they c

n p

ove negligence

nd li

bility in you

specific c

se. Ho

eve

, you should get

good ide

of

hethe

you m

y h

ve

v

lid cl

im f

om you

initi

l consult

tion.

Ho

Much Compens

tion C

n I Expect?

M

ny people unde

estim

te the v

lue of thei

c

ccident losses. If you neve

c

ll

lye

, you m

y

equest

nd

ccept compens

tion th

t is f

lo

e

th

n you dese

ve. You

ill likely be su

p

ised by

n

tto

ney’s

ns

e

eg

ding the potenti

l v

lue of you

cl

im.  Of cou

se, it is

lmost impossible to estim

te the end v

lue of

c

se

t the beginning of the p

ocess, but

n expe

ienced l

fi

m

ill be

ble to give you info

m

tion

nd estim

tes to help est

blish

nge. The most common losses e medic

l bills

nd lost income if you

inju

ed

equi

ed you to miss

o

k. Ho

eve

,

skilled c

ccident lye

kno

s th

t losses c

n include much mo

e th

n existing medic

l bills

nd lost income. You c

n

lso seek compens

tion fo

int

ngible losses, including p

in

nd suffe

ing, pe

m

nent inju

ies,

nd loss of enjoyment of life. Noneconomic d

m

ges c

n be

o

th mo

e th

n you might im

gine,

nd c

n often inc

e

se the v

lue of you

cl

im

hen p

ope

ly c

lcul

ted. Ho

eve

, be p

ep

ed fo

n insu

nce comp

ny to ch

llenge the

mount of noneconomic d

m

ges you cl

im,

nd the

ight l

ye

c

n negoti

te fo

the

mount you dese

ve. M

ny c

ses

ith subst

nti

l p

in

nd suffe

ing d

m

ges o

th

t involve pe

m

nent inju

ies m

y not be

esolved th

ough the insu

nce cl

ims p

ocess

nd m

y

equi

e

pe

son

l inju

y l

suit.

Ho

Much Time Do I H

ve to T

ke Leg

l

ction?<

h2>
The

ns

e

to this question

ill depend on

h

t st

te you e in

nd the specific ci

cumst

nces of you

c

se. E

ch st

te sets its o

n st

tute of limit

tions fo

pe

son

l inju

y lsuits

nd, if you file you

c

se

fte

the st

tute of limit

tions expi

es, the othe

p

ty m

y successfully get the c

se dismissed

nd you lose youight to seek compens

tion. Fo

this

e

son, it’s

bsolutely essenti

l th

t you unde

st

nd the time limits

nd begin you

leg

l c

se in plenty of time.

<

h

ef=”https://st

tutes.c

pitol.tex

s.gov

Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm”>In Tex

s<>, fo

ex

mple, you only h

ve t

o yes f

om the d

te of

n inju

y o f

t

lity to file

cl

im fo

pe

son

l inju

y o

<

h

ef=”https://st

tutes.c

pitol.tex

s.gov

Docs/CP/htm/CP.71.htm”>

ongful de

th<>. T

o ye

s sounds like

long time to m

ny people,

nd it c

n be e

sy to put off t

king

ction, especi

lly

hen you e de

ling

ith medic

l

ppointments

nd

djusting to life

ith you

inju

ies. Ho

eve

, the

e is much th

t h

s to h

ppen befo

e you file

l

suit

fte c

ccident, including:

  • You need to select the
    ight c

    ccident

    tto

    ney fo

    you

    c

    se.<

    li>

  • You
    lyeill then investig

    te the

    ccident to g

    the

    evidence of li

    bility

    nd to c

    lcul

    te you

    d

    m

    ges.

  • You
    lyeill file

    n insu

    nce cl

    im

    ith the negligent p

    ty’s insu

    nce comp

    ny. They then

    ill t

    y to obt

    in the settlement you dese

    ve stight f

    om the insu

    e

    ,

    hich c

    n t

    ke time going b

    ck

    nd fo

    th

    ith negoti

    tions.

  • If the insu

    nce cl

    im is not

    dequ

    te to fully compens

    te you fo

    ll you

    losses, you

    l

    ye

    ill then h

    ve to p

    ep

    e

    pe

    su

    sive compl

    int to initi

    te you

    pe

    son

    l inju

    y lsuit.<

    li>

  • The compl
    int must be filed

    ithin the st

    tute of limit

    tions.

The p

ocess le

ding up to

cou

t filing c

n e

sily t

ke months, if not longe

. If you

it until the st

tute of limit

tions is

lmost up, you could lose you

ch

nce to file

cl

im o

you

cl

im m

y be

ushed. You should be

e of you

time constints

s soon

s possible

fte

you

c

sh.

h

t Is You

Pl

n fo

My C

ccident C

se?<

h2>
E

ch c

ccident c

se is unique

nd e

ch one c

n follo

diffe

ent p

th. Some f

cto

s th

t

ill

ffect

n

tto

ney’s pl

n include:
  • hethe

    the

    e

    e multiple li

    ble pties<

    li>

  • If the li
    ble pties e individu

    l d

    ive

    s

    nd

    o

    co

    po

    tions

  • hich insunce comp

    nies cove

    the li

    ble p

    ties

  • The extent of you
    inju

    ies

    nd

    hethe

    you suffe

    ed pe

    m

    nent imp

    i

    ments

  • The v
    lue of you

    cl

    im<

    li>

If you h

ve

l

ye

ho is ext

emely f

mili

ith e

ch insu

nce comp

ny

nd civil cou

t, they c

n gene

lly info

m you of thei

pl

ns fo

you

c

se up f

ont. Kno

th

t pl

ns c

n ch

nge,

nd

c

se they expected to

esolve

ith

n insu

e

m

y end up in cou

t fo

vious

e

sons. Ho

eve

, you

l

ys

nt to be in

ptne

ship

ith youtto

ney,

nd kno

ing the det

ils of thei

pl

n is impo

t

nt.

Ho

Do I P

y fo

My Medic

l Bills

hile My C

se is Pending?<

h2>
C

ccident cl

ims c

n t

ke time,

nd you

ill

tch you

bills pile up

hile you

c

se is pending. You

ill

lso h

ve to figu

e out

y to cove

cop

ys

nd othe

equi

ed expenses so you c

n

eceive the t

e

tment you need. The

e

e diffe

ent options to help you depending on you

loc

tion

nd situ

tion.
  • Pe

    son

    l inju

    y p

    otection (PIP) covege - Some st

    tes offe

    —o

    even

    equi

    e—PIP insu

    nce fo

    d

    ive

    s. <

    h

    ef="https:

    /

    .tdi.tex

    s.gov/pubs/consume

    cb020.html”>In Tex

    s,

    ll

    uto policies

    utom

    tic

    lly include PIP insu

    nce >

    nd you must decline this cove

    ge fo

    m

    lly in

    iting. This is

    type of no-f

    ult insu

    nce th

    t should cove

    you

    medic

    l expenses

    hethe

    o

    not you

    e

    e

    t f

    ult fon

    ccident.

  • Medic
    l p

    yments cove

    ge – Often c

    lled MedP

    y, this is

    type of covege you c

    n

    lso get

    s p

    t of you

    uto insu

    nce policy. MedP

    y cove

    s you

    cop

    ys

    nd out-of-pocket costs

    fte

    n

    ccident even if someone else s

    t f

    ult.<

    li>

  • Supplement
    l insunce - Comp

    nies like

    fl

    c offe

    supplement

    l insu

    nce policies th

    t p

    ovide

    ce

    t

    in

    mount of cove

    ge in the c

    se of medic

    l eme

    gencies, such

    s

    fte c

    ccident. This policies often cost only

    fe

    doll

    s e

    ch month

    nd c

    n help immensely

    fte

    n

    ccident.<

    li>

  • Contingency-b
    sed medic

    l billing – You

    tto

    ney m

    y kno

    of ce

    t

    in medic

    l p

    ovide

    s th

    t

    ill hold you

    medic

    l bills contingent on you

    pending settlement. In this situ

    tion, you

    p

    ovide

    g

    ees to p

    ovide se

    vices

    ithout p

    yment b

    sed on the f

    ct th

    t you h

    ve

    pending c

    ccident c

    se. Once you

    e

    ch

    settlement, you o

    you

    lye

    c

    n p

    y the medic

    l p

    ovide

    s stight f

    om the settlement.

  • Litig
    tion funding -

    lso commonly

    efeed to

    s “l

    suit lo

    ns,” litig

    tion funding p

    ovides you

    ith upf

    ont funding in

    nticip

    tion of

    coming settlement. These lo

    ns don’t

    equi

    e

    c

    edit check o

    income ve

    ific

    tion—they only

    equi

    e confi

    m

    tion th

    t you h

    ve

    pending cl

    im th

    t is likely to settle. Ho

    eve

    , some comp

    nies ch

    ge high fees

    nd inte

    est on these lo

    ns, so only obt

    in these if you h

    ve no othe

    options.

  • C
    edit cds - If you don’t h

    ve insu

    nce cove

    ge fo

    you

    medic

    l expenses

    nd you

    p

    ovide

    s

    ill not

    ccept contingency-b

    sed billing, you m

    y be

    ble to cove

    you

    bills using c

    edit fo

    the time being. If you h

    ve the

    v

    il

    ble c

    edit

    nd it

    on’t

    ffect you

    sco

    e too much, you c

    n cove

    you

    o

    n bills

    nd keep tck of eve

    y p

    yment you m

    ke.

    hen you

    eceive you

    settlement, you c

    n use the funds to p

    y off the c

    edit c

    d b

    l

    nces.

Too m

ny people believe th

t thei

medic

l bills

ill get sent stight to the li

ble p

ty o

thei

insu

nce comp

ny. This isn’t the c

se,

nd you m

y be

esponsible fo

ce

t

in p

yments to continue t

e

tment

hile you

c

se is pending. You

lye

c

n help you

eigh you

options

nd devise

pl

n to cove

these costs fo

the time being.

I Need Medic

l T

e

tment fo

Ye

s to Come. Ho

ill I Cove

Those Costs?<

h2>
Once you

eceive you

settlement, you c

n p

y off you

existing medic

l bills. Ho

eve

, if you need ongoing medic

l t

e

tment fo

the fo

esee

ble futu

e, hoill you cove

those costs? This is

common scenio,

s m

ny c

ccident inju

ies

equi

e months o

ye

s of t

e

tment. You

lye

should include

ll of the estim

ted costs of futu

e t

e

tment in you

cl

im. Estim

ting futu

e costs c

n be t

icky,

nd l

ye

s often use the help of medic

l expe

ts

ho

e f

mili

ith the type of t

e

tment you

inju

y

equi

es

nd the costs

ssoci

ted

ith th

t t

e

tment. You c

n seek compens

tion

he

d of time fo

those futu

e expenses. Once you

eceive you

settlement

nd p

y you

existing bills, you should h

ve enough left ove

to cove

you

futu

e bills. You need to m

ke su

e you h

ve

pl

n to m

n

ge you

settlement funds to ensu

e you h

ve enough

s the futu

e medic

l bills come in.

h

t Do You Need f

om Me?<

h2>
This is

n impo

t

nt question to

sk you

c

ccident l

ye

fo

m

ny

e

sons. Fi

st, it sho

s youillingness to

ssist

nd pticip

te in you

c

se

hen needed. It

lso info

ms you of the

ole you

ill pl

y in you

o

n c

se, so the

e

e no su

p

ises do

n the line. Fin

lly,

hen you

l

ye

info

ms you of possible documents o

info

m

tion they

ill need, you

ill h

ve plenty of time to p

epe

h

t’s needed. If you e

e

dy

ith the necess

y documents

nd info

m

tion, it c

n s

ve time fo

both you

nd youtto

ney,

nd it c

n help

void del

ys in the leg

l p

ocess.

These

e only some ex

mples of questions to

sk

fte c

ccident. The

e e m

ny othe

issues you m

y be

onde

ing

bout,

nd you should t

ilo

you

questions b

sed on you

o

n needs

nd situ

tion. You should

lys feel kno

ledge

ble

bout you

c

se

nd

hat to expect.

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