There are a lot of attorneys out there which can make it difficult for you to find the right one for your personal injury case. You need to ensure that you choose the best personal injury attorney to represent you in your case, an attorney who will truly look after your best interests and educate you along the way.
Keep in mind, most attorneys offer a free initial consultation, you should use this as an opportunity to get to know the attorney and ask questions that are important to you. Just because you meet with an attorney does not mean you are obligated to hire them to represent you. We advise using an initial free consultation to discuss the details of your case, get to know the attorney, and receive answers to your questions before moving forward.
Make sure the attorney you meet with gives you the time and respect you deserve and thoroughly answers your questions. An attorney unwilling to do so is likely the wrong fit for you and your case.
One thing that always helps is learning more about the lawyer’s reputation and case history. Doing some homework will certainly help educate you and put you in a better position to make the right choice. Whenever possible you should seek referrals as well.
What should I do before meeting with a personal injury attorney?
To help better prepare yourself to discuss the details of your case; and to help fill the attorney in, you should prepare notes about your case and gather any important documents and evidences relating to your auto accident. Being prepared will enable you to ask the right questions and will better equip the attorney to provide you with appropriate answers.
For example, you could:
- Copies of police reports
- Medical bills
- Insurance information
The better you can explain the details of your case, the better you can be served by the attorney you are meeting with. Accidents can be an extremely stressful time in your life, putting notes and information together can help keep you organized and make sure that nothing important is overlooked.
What should I ask a personal injury attorney?
First and foremost, when meeting with a personal injury attorney you should make sure that you feel comfortable with them. If you 
feel that you are not getting the attention or answers you deserve, you should seek out another personal injury attorney who may be a better fit.
Always remember that you have options. With that said, it may help if you write down some questions to take with you to your initial meeting to help keep you prepared and better establish answers to the questions that are important to you. Some of these questions may include:
- How long have you been practicing law?
- How much experience do you have in car accident cases?
- How do you feel about handling my case?
- What level of participation will you have in my case?
- Are you accessible if I need to reach you?
- How will you keep me informed throughout my case?
- Will you provide me with fee information that details all fees I should expect as well as payment details?
Enter a meeting with a list of important questions will help ensure that your meeting is beneficial to both you and the personal injury attorney you are meeting with. It is always better to go in prepared rather than trying to think of questions in the moment. You want to feel comfortable and you want to make sure that the attorney is capable of answering all of your questions thoroughly and to your satisfaction.
Deciding on an attorney
After meeting with a personal injury attorney, or multiple attorneys, you will be better equipped to determine who should represent you in your auto accident case. After you have asked the questions you wanted answered you should be able to determine the following:
- Am I comfortable working closely with this attorney?
- Do I believe the attorney has the experience necessary to handle my case?
- Did the lawyer clearly explain and educate me on the details relevant to my case?
- Did the lawyer clearly outline the fees and payments required to handle my case?
If you can answer those questions affirmatively then you will likely have a good fit with the car accident attorney you choose to work with.