5 Questions to Ask a Texas Car Accident Attorney Before Hiring

If you or somebody you care about has been injured in a car accident caused by the negligence of somebody else, you may need to seek assistance from an attorney in order to recover full compensation for your losses. However, there are various questions that you should ask a prospective Texas car accident attorney before deciding to work with them.

1. How Much Does an Attorney Charge? Are Clients Required to Pay if the Case Loses?

This may be two questions, but they are closely related. Most Texas auto accident lawyers will take these cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that the client will face no upfront or out-of-pocket costs for their case and will only pay legal fees after their injury lawyer secures the compensation they are entitled to. In other words, if the attorney does not win the case or receive compensation for the client, then the client will not pay any legal fees at all. This type of fee arrangement allows even those with fewer resources to hold alleged negligent parties responsible for their actions. You can also ask about if a car accident lawyer offers free consultations.

2. What is the Statute of Limitations for Car Accidents?

Each state is responsible for setting time limits regarding how long injury victims have to file lawsuits against the alleged negligent party in their case. The Texas personal injury statute of limitations is two years from the date an accident occurs. This means that a car accident victim has a two-year window with which to file a lawsuit against the alleged negligent party. Failing to file a lawsuit within this timeframe will result in the victim being unable to recover the compensation they are entitled to.

3. Do All Car Accident Cases Go To Trial?

No, most car accident and injury cases do not go all the way to trial. The vast majority of car accident claims are resolved through settlements with insurance carriers. However, if the at-fault party’s insurance company refuses to offer a fair settlement or if they deny a claim altogether, then it may be necessary for the car accident injury victim to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. Even after a case is filed in court, it is still unlikely that it will go all the way to trial. Most personal injury lawsuits are settled through negotiations with attorneys involved for both sides.

4. How Much Experience Do You Have?

There is nothing wrong with asking car accident lawyers about how much experience they, and the law firms they work at, have. In fact, glance at the wall in an attorney’s office and see if they have their law degree hanging. When did they graduate? Granted, the amount of time that an attorney practices law is not always an indicator of how successful they are, but you can generally count on an experienced attorney understanding exactly what needs to be done to ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to. In particular, you can ask a prospective attorney about how much experience they have handling cases similar to yours.

5. What Are Previous Settlements & Results for Car Accident Cases?

You can also ask a car accident injury attorney about their track record of success. For example, have they successfully recovered any major settlements or results for previous car accident clients? You may be able to find some of this information on the attorney’s website or by Googling the particular attorney you are thinking about using.