In order to hire the right attorney, one who understands the area of law involved with your potential case, you have to know what questions to ask – before hiring that person. We spoke with Marc S. Sedwick, an experienced personal injury attorney licensed in Indiana and Kentucky who also worked in the insurance industry for many years, who provided this advice on hiring a lawyer:

• Get the facts. Ask about the lawyer’s qualifications and don’t be afraid to ask for references.
• Find out if he or she is a trial lawyer. The best personal injury lawyers are trial lawyers and not afraid to try cases in front of a jury.
• Ask about the fee arrangement.
• Ask for an outline as to what the lawyer expects to happen from the point that the lawyer is hired to the point when the case is expected to be resolved.
• Observe the attorney to make sure he or she is a good listener. To effectively present your damages, a personal injury lawyer must be a good listener to fully know how the collision has affected your life.
• Ask the attorney to explain what damages are available, such as property damage, diminished value of personal property, past medical and prescription bills, future medical and prescription bills, past loss of income, future loss of income, pain and suffering, disfigurement and mental anguish.

How auto accident attorneys compensated in Indiana

Attorneys are compensated in a variety of ways depending upon the type of case you have. Auto accident lawyers are typically compensated by way of the contingency fee agreement. Sedwick explained, “This means that the lawyer only recovers fees if the client either successfully settles or obtains a verdict in his or her case. This fee is usually 33.33% of any recovery. The attorney will usually advance the expenses of the representation and assuming the client either successfully settles or obtains a verdict in his or her case, the lawyer will recover the expenses that he or she has advanced at the end of the case in addition to the lawyer’s agreed upon percentage fee.”

If you’ve been in an auto accident and click here to speak with an experienced Indiana auto accident attorney whose practice focuses in this area of the law.