Ask any personal injury lawyers and they’ll tell you the same thing: Most accidents leave motorists unprepared and confused about what to do. Road accidents are traumatic experiences leaving not only a physical scar to those involved but also financially overwhelming due to medical bills.
Whether it is losing a limb, amputation, or death, a serious car accident is life-changing. What should you ask your Orlando car accident lawyer?
If you were injured in a car accident due to other’s negligence, getting compensation for your physical, emotional, and financial pain is imperative. Filing for a claim is a long process but the good thing is you do not have to go through this alone.
A car accident lawyer will help you get the closure that you need so you can move on with life.
Before you secure the services of a car accident lawyer, there are questions that you need to ask to know that you are hiring the right person for the job:
1: How many years of experience do you have as a car accident lawyer in Orlando?
Laws covering car accidents vary from state to state which means that your lawyer can only handle accidents that occur within the state they practice.
Also, the right lawyer should have a long history of practice in Florida as car accident claims and processes are very complex requiring one’s ability to navigate through the difficult laws of a car accident in Florida.
But this is also somewhat relevant because when you ask your Orlando car accident lawyer this question, they will qualify themselves to you and tell you how much they can help you. Let them sell themselves to you a little and hear them out!
2: What kinds of damages can I claim?
An exceptional Orlando car accident lawyer must be able to determine the kinds of damages that you can claim. The right Orlando car accident lawyer must come up with strategies to pursue your car accident case with favorable results.
The lawyer should also be able to get the maximum compensation you deserve for loss of income, medical expenses, emotional distress, pain, and suffering.
There is an equation for pain and suffering that you can talk to them about. So be sure to ask your Orlando car accident lawyer about that formula as well.
3: How long will the case take from start to finish?
A good Orlando car accident lawyer can give you an estimated duration of the court proceedings by reviewing your case. That way, your attorney can also give you the best course of action by opting to accept an out-of-court settlement or the insurance company’s offer.
The right attorney for the job must be able to provide a realistic duration on how long the court case might take.
But here is another like secrete for you. A very good Orlando car accident lawyer will not tell you that the case might be short. See, if a lawyer guarantees a short case, they will likely just try to settle your car accident case as soon as possible. And that could mean that you lose out on potential money!
A good attorney will tell you that the case will have to go on as long as it will have to go on. Because they will know that if they must take it to trial, they will do that for you.
So remember to ask your Orlando car accident lawyer about a timeline and keep this in mind!
4: How many similar cases the attorney has handled before?
This question is specifically recommended if you or a loved one is involved in a rare car accident such as driving someone else’s car or the vehicle at fault is a business car but used out of business purposes. That way, your chosen Orlando car accident lawyer can assure you of better results.
This is somewhat similar to question 2, but it will also give you a sense of how bs they are at the moment. There is nothing worse than waiting for your Orlando personal injury lawyer to call you back, or give you an update.
5: What’s the attorney’s fee?
Last but not least is knowing how the attorney’s free is structured. Attorney’s fee differs, so always ask for the fee’s options; flat rate, hourly rate, or on a contingency fee basis. The latter means you only have to pay for the attorney’s fee if the ruling is in your favor.
That way, your chosen Orlando car accident lawyer will have to do his best to get a ruling that benefits you. But you may also have to pay for additional expenses like record requests fee, filling, and other court costs.
Most personal injury attorneys work on what is called a contingency fee basis, which means they won’t get paid until they win your case. And if you do not win, then they don’t get paid. But be sure to ask before you make that assumption.
Finally, if you are ready to make the call, be sure to call Steinger, Greene & Feiner at our Orlando location, 5401 South Kirkman Road, Suite 310, Orlando, FL, 32819 and let us handle all the hard work for you: (407) 289-0020.
About the Author
Michael Feiner
Michael A. Feiner is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale office of Steinger, Greene & Feiner. Since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2001, Michael has devoted his practice to representing plaintiffs throughout Florida in various tort and strict liability cases and has successfully litigated cases against national insurance companies, large public companies, and governmental agencies, resulting in tens of millions of dollars for his clients.
He has handled all types of personal injury and wrongful death cases on behalf of plaintiffs, including automobile negligence, premises liability, medical malpractice, product liability, dog bites, and sexual harassment. Michael’s product liability case against Microsoft, as well as his representation of victims of sexual harassment and abuse by physicians, has garnered him important media attention at both the local and national levels.
Michael is an experienced trial lawyer and successfully argued an appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. In the reported decision Ortlieb v. Butts, 849 So.2d 1165 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003), Michael persuaded the Fourth District Court of Appeal that a directed verdict on liability was appropriate where the defendant did not rebut the presumption of negligence of a rear driver in a rear-end collision.
Michael Feiner
Michael A. Feiner is a partner in the Fort Lauderdale office of Steinger, Greene & Feiner. Since being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2001, Michael has devoted his practice to representing plaintiffs throughout Florida in various tort and strict liability cases and has successfully litigated cases against national insurance companies, large public companies, and governmental agencies, resulting in tens of millions of dollars for his clients. He has handled all types of personal injury and wrongful death cases on behalf of plaintiffs, including automobile negligence, premises liability, medical malpractice, product liability, dog bites, and sexual harassment. Michael’s product liability case against Microsoft, as well as his representation of victims of sexual harassment and abuse by physicians, has garnered him important media attention at both the local and national levels. Michael is an experienced trial lawyer and successfully argued an appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal. In the reported decision Ortlieb v. Butts, 849 So.2d 1165 (Fla. 4th DCA 2003), Michael persuaded the Fourth District Court of Appeal that a directed verdict on liability was appropriate where the defendant did not rebut the presumption of negligence of a rear driver in a rear-end collision.