Do you know what is being done in your community to protect the citizens from crime? Do you have a crime-watch program? Is there a community website that lists the current investigations and events that may have recently occurred? Law enforcement officials can only do so much when it comes to protecting a community. If your community is not active in protecting itself, crime rates could rise and many residents could find themselves the target or victim of crimes. Visit my blog to find out what you can do as a community to lower crime rates and help the law enforcement officials do their jobs.
If you've been injured in an accident, the first thing you need to do is hire an attorney from a firm such as Richards & Minore, P.C. The insurance company will have legal representation, and so should you. When hiring an attorney, it's important to remember that you're going to be working closely with this person. Because of that, it's important that you know as much about them, their policies, and their practice, as you can find out. The best way to do that is to ask questions – a lot of them. Not only during the initial consultation, but at every meeting thereafter. To get you started, here are three questions you should ask at the initial consultation.
Is Payment Required Upfront?
Accidents can leave you in a financial bind, especially if your injuries have put you out of work. The last thing you want to deal with is legal fees. When you sit down with your attorney, find out if they'll be requiring any upfront fees. Most personal injury attorneys take cases on a contingency basis, meaning they won't get paid until a settlement is reached in your case. If the attorney you're speaking to requires payment upfront, you might want to consult with a few other attorneys.
How Many Other Cases is the Attorney Handling?
When you're dealing with a personal injury, you want to make sure that the attorney you hire to represent you will have enough time to dedicate sufficient attention to your case. If an attorney is bogged down with cases, especially tough ones that require additional time and attention, they may not be able to provide you with the best legal services. During your initial consultation, ask the attorney how many other cases they're handling right now, and if they feel they can dedicate enough time and attention to yours. If they can't, you should consult with another attorney.
Will There be Other Attorneys Assigned to Your Case?
It's not unusual for attorneys to have junior partners, associates, or even legal interns working on cases. However, as a client, you want to know if that will be happening with your case. If it will be, you'll want to ask the following questions.
Are They Experienced?
When it comes to your case, you want to make sure that the attorneys who will be handling your case are experienced in your type of claim. Ask your attorney about the experience the other attorneys bring to the table.
Will You Meet Them?
If there will be other attorneys handling your case, you'll want to know if you'll be given the opportunity to meet them. It's easier to communicate, if you're able to develop a good working relationship with your entire legal team.
Share23 June 2017
