Personal Injury FAQ: 10 Key Questions to Ask

This personal injury FAQ includes answers to 10 key questions to ask if you, a loved one or coworker are injured in an accident.

You may be searching for answers online and found this post for. Or a lawyer, doctor, or friend shared this post with you.

The goal of this personal injury FAQ post is to help you know and do the right things.

Finding the right personal injury information, answers and experts can be challenging

In our experience, accident victims and their loved ones have virtually no time to research all the things they need to know and do medically, financially, emotionally, and legally. Insurance adjusters are aware of that fact as well.

You need accurate information and expert answers to key personal injury questions about what you can and should do next right after your accident.

Below are some of the most important personal injury FAQ our clients ask during our initial meetings.

=> I’ve been injured in an accident. Do I need to involve  a lawyer right away?

=> I don’t know if I’m going to be able to work again. How can I pay my bills?

=> I think I need a second opinion on a medical procedure. Can I get one?

=> What should I look for in a lawyer?

=> Should I talk to the adjuster who is calling me? 

=> Who pays for my car? 

=> I’ve spoken to a lawyer already and he made me sign something. Can I still talk to you? Will it cost me more? 

=> I think I have a case, but need independent advice on whether I should go to court or not. What should I do?

=> What should I know about a personal injury case? 

=> How much do you charge to take my case?

We asked our partner, Jean-Paul Layrisson, to answer these questions for you. His answers are below. You can contact Jean-Paul directly if you like to meet with him.

I’ve been injured in an accident. Should I call a lawyer right away?

Yes, you should almost always speak with a qualified lawyer, with trial experience, right away, even if you don’t know yet how badly hurt you are. If your friends, family, the police and insurance professionals tell you to wait … don’t. There are many reasons why you should contact a lawyer right away. One of the most important ones is the preservation of evidence. 

Remember the last crime drama you watched and how important it was to preserve the crime scene? How quickly the authorities had to find and interview witnesses and persons of interest? Time is of the essence and the evidence needs to be gathered quickly and extensively. 

Accidents are no different, but the support and role a personal injury legal team plays is. While a police officer may write a report, often those reports leave out important witnesses, measurements, photographs, and other evidence that could make the difference in winning or losing in court or obtaining a fair settlement. Even when officers are trying their best, sometimes the facts they put in their reports are flat out wrong. 

While each accident case is unique, good lawyers get involved right away and conduct an investigation on your behalf and in your best interests. A key focus for them is to gather evidence, interview witnesses, take photographs, take statements, retain experts, and request and review police reports.  We also make sure if you need a referral to a medical specialist that you see a well qualified one and get an appointment quickly. We handle the red tape and the insurance issues. 

Your lawyer’s first job, after an initial complimentary meeting with you, is to investigate what happened and gather all the available evidence so it can be preserved in order to protect you and your case. Often your lawyer will use legal tools to compel someone or an organization to provide, protect and preserve evidence. If these things are not done timely, evidence can disappear, witnesses can forget or speak to insurance adjusters first, and accident scenes change. 

I don’t know if I’m going to be able to work again. How can I pay my bills?

This is another key question that you should ask your lawyer. The financial impact of an accident in the form of lost earnings and mounting medical costs adds another layer of stress and uncertainty to your recovery. Your lawyer can help you navigate these issues. 

We communicate with hospitals and creditors for our clients, issue letters of guarantee, negotiate liens, and in certain cases may be able to assist our clients in covering their medical bills.

I need a second opinion on a medical procedure. Can I get one?

 Absolutely, we will help set that up for you.

What should I look for in a lawyer?

Experience in actually trying personal injury cases in court with winning results. Seek a lawyer, ideally a partner in the firm, that will handle your case from beginning to end. We are trial attorneys experienced in litigation with success in personal injury cases. 

I’ve spoken to a lawyer already and he made me sign something. Can I still talk to you?

Yes.  A client always has the right to have an attorney of their choice or change lawyers.

I think I have a case, but need independent advice on whether I should go to court or not. What should I do?

Talk to a lawyer and ask for a free consultation. Book one here with our Partner, Jean-Paul Layrisson.

What should I know about a personal injury case? 

First and foremost you need to know that your personal injury lawyer is willing to go to trial for you if a fair settlement is not reached.  If they’ve rarely or never gone to trial, find a lawyer that is an actual practicing trial attorney. 

At our firm we believe that every personal injury case needs to be prepared as if it is going to trial.  If a case is prepared like it’s going to trial, it is more likely to settle for an appropriate amount.  Insurance companies and their lawyers know the personal injury attorneys who try cases and those who avoid it. It makes a difference. Experience counts. 

How much do you charge to take my case?

We take personal injury cases on what is called a contingent fee basis. This means the client pays nothing at all unless we get a successful result. We also will advance all litigation costs if the case warrants it.  All of this is set forth in writing in a fee agreement between a client and our firm. The actual fee percentage depends on the facts of each case and is always agreed upon up front. No attorney client relationship is formed, and we have no obligations to each other, until we reach an agreement to take your case and sign a written fee agreement. 

Summary

This personal injury FAQ is intended to help you get answers to the most important questions. We hope these answers provide some comfort and reassurance about the role the right lawyer plays in helping you recover. If you like to talk to us feel free to book a complimentary consultation here.