FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PERSONAL INJURY CASES:
How do I know if I need an attorney?
If you have been seriously injured, an experienced personal injury attorney should be consulted before you give any statements or sign any papers. In all cases, important time deadlines apply. If a state of local government agency is at fault, a "tort notice" must be given to the agency within a certain number of days. "Statutes of limitation" are deadlines for filing a case in court. The deadline is not the same in all cases. If you violate such a deadline, your claim will become time-barred and worthless.
What is a contingency fee?
A "contingency fee" means that a fee is only owed if the lawyer is successful in handling your case. This fee is not owed until the end of the case. Such fee is often referred to as "the poor man's key to the courthouse." Insurance companies are well funded and are able to retain some of the best lawyers to defend their interests. Without a contingency fee, many injury victims would have no remedy.
If I have a personal injury case do I have to go to court?
The majority of personal injury cases are resolved through informal negotiations without a lawsuit being filed. Even when a lawsuit must be filed, most cases will still be resolved very successfully through continued negotiations, or through mediation or arbitration. Only a small percentage of personal injury cases will go all the way to a jury trial. However, the lawyer must prepare every case as if it were going to trial because that is the only way to obtain the highest value for the case.