Hiring an Attorney FAQ

Florida law provides protections for victims who have suffered an injury as a result of someone’s wrongful or negligent behavior. Unfortunately, although the law lets you recover compensation if you have been harmed, insurance companies often try to offer you the minimum settlement possible, or even try to deny you the money you deserve.

Hiring a West Palm Beach injury lawyer is usually the best and only way to make sure you have a fair shot at protecting your legal rights and getting the money due to you after an injury. At Freeman Injury Law, we are dedicated to helping injured victims to deal with insurance companies and to use the civil justice system to get the compensation you deserve. To learn more about hiring a personal injury lawyer or about why Freeman Injury Law is the right firm for you, review our FAQ on hiring an attorney below or contact us today.

1) Do I really need a lawyer?
Many people who are injured wonder if they really need a lawyer. The answer, in many cases, is that it is important to have someone who understands the law representing you. Insurance companies and potential defendants often try to lower their costs by trying to force you into settling or intimidate you into taking less than you should for your damages. Not only that, but they also have their own legal experts who are looking out for their best interests- not yours.

Having an experienced law firm at your side gives you credibility with the insurer or defendant since they know you are serious about enforcing your rights. Your lawyer can also help you to negotiate a better settlement or help you build a case to give you the best chance of winning in court. Without a lawyer, you may be overwhelmed or unaware of your rights and lose out on receiving the money you deserve.

2) What type of attorney do I need?
You should always look for a law firm that regularly represents clients who have cases similar to yours. For example, if you have suffered from an injury due to the carelessness of your physician, you should find a medical malpractice lawyer who routinely represents patients injured by healthcare providers.

3) How do I find an attorney?
There are many ways to find a lawyer to represent you. You can contact the Florida Bar Association for a list of attorneys in good standing in your area. You can ask for referrals from friends. You can also use the Internet to search for lawyers in your area and to find one who has an informative website and lots of information available to suggest competence and skill within the particular legal field.

4) What should I look for in a lawyer?
You need a lawyer who has represented many clients with cases similar to yours. Ask your lawyer what his or her track record of success is. Though all cases are different, you want a lawyer that has been a solid advocate for clients and helped them to win cases. Your lawyer should also be experienced not just in settling cases but also in litigating in court. Finally, be sure your lawyer treats you well, is interested in listening to your story, returns your calls promptly and otherwise seems to really care about advocating for you.

5) How do I prepare to meet with a lawyer?
At Freeman Injury Law, we offer free consultations to prospective clients to help determine if we can help. You should be as prepared as possible when meeting with our West Palm Beach injury lawyers or with any prospective lawyer who you are considering working with. Have a list of names, dates and relevant events in your case. If you have medical records, police reports and other information that supports your version of events or that sheds light on how your injury happened, you should bring this documentation to the meeting with you as well.

6) What questions should I ask before working with an attorney?
You want to make sure your lawyer has the experience and knowledge you are looking for. Ask your attorney how many years he or she has been in practice, how many similar cases he has handled, and how many he has won. You should also find out about the fee structure and about any policies in place that will affect your representation.

7) What types of services does an attorney provide?
An attorney can help you with all aspects of building your personal injury case. At Freeman Injury Law is, we are a full-service personal injury firm and we assist in proving your right to damages --from talking to the insurer on your behalf to finding expert witnesses or taking photographs at the accident scene.

8) When should I contact an attorney?
You should contact a lawyer as soon as possible after you are involved in an accident or suffer an injury. Making a personal injury claim is time-sensitive and there are deadlines you must follow. You will also want to be sure that you don’t miss out on collecting evidence you might later need to prove your case. The sooner you call a lawyer, the sooner you can start getting legal advice and avoid mistakes that could make it harder for you to obtain damages from the person or persons responsible for your injury.

9) How much is it going to cost to hire an attorney?
Personal injury attorneys should work on a contingent fee basis. This means you do not pay legal fees if you do not win a monetary settlement. At Freeman Injury Law is, we charge you legal fees only if you settle or if the jury finds for you and you receive compensation.

10) What can I expect from my attorney?
Your attorney has an obligation to advocate for you, to act on your behalf and to put your best interests first. Your attorney must be truthful with you and must keep you informed of the progress of your case and give you the chance to participate. Your attorney must also advise you of all offers to settle your case and must help you to make informed choices and take control of how to handle your personal injury claim.

11) Can my attorney share information about my case?
Your attorney is bound by the code of ethics of the profession to keep any information you share confidential. This is called attorney/client privilege. Attorney/client privilege begins when you actually become a client and your lawyer is no longer allowed to reveal any details or information that you share without your express waiver of attorney client privilege.

12) How do I know that I can trust my attorney?
Attorneys are bound by a code of professional responsibility that imposes a number of legal duties on them when it comes to client relations. For example, attorneys must be honest and upfront about their fees. They are limited in how they can advertise and cannot make false promises. They also have a fiduciary obligation to you, which is the best obligation under the law.

13) How closely am I involved in my case?
Your attorney can handle the technical details of your personal injury claim and can take the weight of making a claim off of your shoulders. You can and will be kept informed of the status of your case and asked to make certain key decisions, with the guidance of your lawyer.

14) How will my lawyer help me?
Your attorney can assist you with all aspects of making a personal injury claim. Your lawyer can help you to decide whom you should sue and whether you have a case. A personal injury attorney will help gather evidence to convince the insurer or court of the defendant’s guilt in causing your injury. Your attorney will prepare court documents, subpoena witnesses, negotiate with the insurer on your behalf, and otherwise do everything necessary to get you the money that Florida law allows.

At Freeman Injury Law is, we vigorously and passionately represent the rights of injured victims. We will do everything possible to get you the money that you deserve so you can be “made whole” or fairly and fully compensated after an accident.