You were hurt because of someone’s negligence. If the party owed you a duty of care, you might have a potential personal injury case. Iowa laws allow you to recover compensation for your injuries, and while you can file a lawsuit on your own, hiring an attorney does make things easier. If you are looking for a personal injury lawyer in Cedar Rapids, here are seven easy tips to get you sorted.
- Ask around. Talk to people who have filed a claim in the past, and if you can get references, that’s always useful. If that’s not an option, you can check online directories. Websites like Nolo and Avvo are equally handy.
- Get an appointment. It is important to meet a lawyer in person, no matter how well-known they are. A good lawyer will make time for potential clients and explain the basic details for the other side’s understanding. The best part? You don’t usually have to pay for this.
- Ask about the lawyer’s portfolio. An injury lawyer may specialize in handling car accident lawsuits but may not have the same experience with product defect-related cases. The work profile of a lawyer should be the right fit for your case.
- Discuss their trial experience. Only a handful of lawyers have experience representing clients in court, and while personal injury lawsuits usually don’t go to trial, your case could be an exception. Ensure that you hire an injury lawyer with credible expertise in courtroom aspects.
- Find the essential details. What is your case worth? What factors can influence the outcome? What can you expect when dealing with the insurance company? What is the expected settlement? These are vital aspects that you must discuss with your injury lawyer.
- Know the other expenses. We will talk about the lawyer’s fee in a moment, but there are other expenses that a client is expected to pay. For instance, if your injury lawyer had to hire medical professionals to testify for your case or required the help of accident reconstruction services, those expenses are your liability.
- Enquire about the lawyer’s fee. Most injury lawyers in Iowa work on a contingency fee, which means that they only get their payment when the client wins and gets paid by the other party (or the insurance company). Ask the lawyer how much they would charge.
Get an injury lawyer soon after the mishap for assured help in all aspects.