The majority of Toledo, Ohio auto accident victims who walk into our office at the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers have never been in their current situation before. They may have experienced only minor collisions or incidents that were not as severe or simply didn’t involve the same circumstances. Or they may have never been in any kind of auto accident. For most of our clients, it is even their first experience communicating with an auto accident attorney or any kind of attorney. This is where it helps to have some guidance on what the initial free consultation with a Toledo, Ohio, auto accident attorney should look like. You’ll want to know what questions to ask and how to get a good idea of what your claim is worth, what kind of fees the attorney will charge, and what to do next.
Start Preparing for the Initial Toledo Auto Accident Attorney Consultation
Most auto accident attorneys in Toledo are going to offer a free consultation. This means that you can get multiple consultations from different attorneys, and you can also get some free legal guidance in cases where you ultimately choose not to hire an attorney. To make the most of your free consultations, come prepared. This means that you need to bring any documents related to your collision, the police report, medical reports and bills, property damage estimates, etc. The more you bring with you, the better prepared you will be, and the easier it will be for the attorney to give you advice.
Ask the Toledo, Ohio Auto Accident Attorney About Their Experience and Availability
When you talk to a Toledo, Ohio, auto accident attorney, you need to make sure that you’re asking the right questions. For example, you need to ask them how long they’ve been in practice, whether they’ve handled claims similar to yours, and whether or not they’ve ever had their law license suspended. You want to know whether or not they’ve ever gone to trial with cases like yours, how many times they have done so, and what the results of those cases were.
Some questions that people are less likely to think of, but are very important, include those concerning the attorney’s availability. This will involve asking about how many cases they are currently handling and whether or not they really have the time to prioritize your claim. The attorney may reassure you that they have plenty of time, but you should also ask about how frequently you can expect to communicate, and whether you can reach the attorney by phone, text, email, etc. Ask about how long it will take the attorney to return calls and whether anyone else will be working on your case. For example, there may be clerks or paralegals who handle some tasks, and you’ll want to know about their experience, too.
Ask the Ohio Auto Accident Attorney About the Specifics of Your Claim
Every auto accident case is different, and you need to know some specific things about your own claim, based on the attorney’s experience. For example, you need to know if you have a valid claim, how strong that claim is, and what you’ll need to prove to be successful. You’ll want to ask the attorney, not only if they’ve handled similar cases, but whether they have any special experience and knowledge of similar cases. Ask about the positive outcomes and negative outcomes they’ve encountered with auto accident claims like yours. Find out if they have experience with clients making mistakes, what those mistakes were, and how you can avoid them.
Naturally, you will need to ask what your case might be worth, whether it can be resolved with an insurance claim, and what will happen if it ends up going to trial. Specifically, you should ask how long it may take to settle your claim and whether the attorney is comfortable going to trial if necessary.
Ask the Toledo, Ohio, Auto Accident Attorney About Their Fees and Payment Arrangements
It is important to avoid walking away from the initial consultation with any Toledo, Ohio, auto accident attorney without knowing exactly how much they will charge and how they will receive payment. For example, you’ll want to know if they charge an hourly rate or if they work on a contingency fee basis. You also need to know about how court costs are going to be handled, whether any upfront fees will be required, and whether you will have to pay for anything if the case is unsuccessful. If you don’t get this information, then it will be difficult to compare lawyers and evaluate the pros and cons of hiring one.
To better understand how many attorneys charge their clients in auto accident cases, let’s take a look at how contingency fee arrangements work. With this kind of payment plan, there are no upfront fees, and you don’t have to pay your attorney unless you successfully recover compensation. Many attorneys will also cover the court costs and will be reimbursed for this along with their fees when you receive that compensation. The contingency fee is a percentage of your final settlement or judgment, and your attorney will take their fees and the court costs out of your compensation before turning the remainder of that compensation over to you. In some cases, they may also take out the expenses needed to pay back medical care providers who may have provided care for the promise of payment from the successful case. The attorneys at the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers will work on a contingency fee basis.
Find Out Everything You Need to Know About Your Toledo Auto Accident Claim
Contact a skilled Toledo, OH car accident lawyer at Ohio Car Accident Lawyers today to schedule your free consultation. We are happy to go over the details of your claim and answer all of your questions. We will provide some insight into the potential value of your claim and how we plan to succeed in your case. Call today.