Seven Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Injury Lawyer

Most people hire an injury lawyer at the worst moment of their lives. They're hurt, they're scared, the bills are arriving, and the first friendly voice on the phone gets the job.

I understand why. But you'll live with this decision for a year or more, sometimes much longer. A first consultation with an injury lawyer is usually free. Use it. Here are the seven questions I'd ask.

1. How many cases like mine have you handled, and where?

Not "do you do personal injury." Ask about cases like yours: a trucking crash, a fall at a store, a medical injury. Ask whether they've handled them in your county's courts. Every courthouse has its own judges, juries and habits, and experience there matters.

2. Who will actually work on my case?

The lawyer you meet isn't always the lawyer who handles your file. At some high-volume firms, cases are run day to day by case managers and junior staff. That isn't automatically bad, but you deserve to know. Ask who your main contact will be, and how often you'll hear from the lawyer whose name is on the door.

3. When did you last take a case to trial?

Most injury cases settle, and that's usually a good thing. But insurance companies keep track of which lawyers will actually go to trial and which ones always settle. That reputation shapes the offers you'll see. A lawyer who has been in front of a jury recently brings that leverage to your case, even if yours never goes to court.

Insurance companies know which lawyers will try a case. Their offers reflect it.

4. How will you keep me informed?

The most common complaint people have about their lawyers isn't the result. It's the silence. Ask how often you'll get updates, how quickly calls are returned, and who to call when your lawyer is in trial. Get the answer specific: "every two weeks, by email" beats "we'll stay in touch."

5. How exactly does your fee work?

Most injury lawyers work on contingency, meaning they're paid a percentage of what you recover and nothing if you lose. Ask three follow-ups:

• Does the percentage go up if the case is filed in court or goes to trial?
• Are case costs, such as experts and filing fees, taken out before or after the fee is calculated? On a large recovery, that difference is real money.
• What do I owe for costs if we lose?

Get it all in a written agreement before you sign.

6. What do you think my case is worth, and how long will it take?

This is a trick question, and the right answer is a careful one. An honest lawyer will tell you it's too early to know, explain what the value depends on, and give you a realistic sense of the timeline. Be wary of anyone who promises a big number in the first meeting.

7. What happens after the settlement?

Medical bills and liens often have to be paid out of a recovery, and a good lawyer works to reduce them. For serious or permanent injuries, how the money is paid out can matter as much as the amount. A lawyer who has thought about structured settlements, protections for children and keeping government benefits is thinking about your whole life, not just the case.

Three red flags

• Someone contacts you first. If a lawyer or someone working for one shows up at the hospital or calls you out of the blue after an accident, be very careful. In-person and live solicitation of injury victims is generally prohibited.
• Pressure to sign today. A good lawyer will give you time to think.
• Guarantees. No one can honestly promise you an outcome.

One more thing: check the bar.

Before you sign, look up the lawyer on your state bar's website. It takes two minutes, and it will tell you whether they're licensed and whether they've been disciplined.

Where Lexmatch fits.

Asking seven questions of one lawyer is good. Knowing which three to five lawyers are worth asking is better. Lexmatch searches the court and bar records behind those answers, and a Lexmatch attorney curates a shortlist of lawyers with real experience in cases like yours.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules on fees and solicitation vary by state.