FAQ

Find an attorney or law firm that deals exclusively with your type of case. For tax issues, look for tax lawyers, for example. Law is a very complex and detailed profession and just because an attorney, with her eyes shut, can write a water-tight will for Aunt Edna doesn’t mean that she’s got the right stuff to handle your slip and fall injury case. Different lawyers practice different kinds of law.
Also, ask about their track record. Results are important, but Indiana lawyers are prohibited from advertising statistical data or other information based on past performance. Call and ask – the lawyer or law firm should be happy to give you results information over the phone.

The Internet is a powerful tool, but remember: it should start your search process, not finish it. Most lawyers, good and bad, are online now, so don’t take a web site as proof that the firm is “cutting edge” or somehow better because of its Internet presence.
Also remember that a lawyer’s web site amounts to an advertisement. Read it carefully, but then ask questions. Call up the firm and see how they treat you. Can’t find a way to contact them in person? That should send off warning bells. Does their site say they handle just family law, or only accident and injury cases? Test them. Ask them if they handle something else – say, general civil litigation – and see how committed they really are. The adage that a jack of all trades may be the master of none is all too often true in the legal profession.
As for many of those toll free numbers, beware. Most just direct you to a list of lawyers who are paying for referrals. This is no indication of their quality or expertise.

You don’t, unless you do your homework. Talk to an attorney at the firm to get a sense of their style, whether the practice is limited to personal injury and wrongful death, how they treat their clients. (See Q&A below for questions you should ask.) Don’t be afraid to trust your instinct if something rubs you the wrong way. And you do not have to sign a legal representation agreement just because you’ve scheduled an introductory meeting.

There are several. No question is wrong if you want the answer to it.

Among the most common questions asked:

1. Do you accept only certain types of cases?

2. What is your track record? What percentage of your trials have you won? (If they say they don’t know, be wary. Lawyers love to keep score.)

3. Can I see copies of articles written by outside sources, such as newspapers, about these cases? (If they say they don’t keep them, be wary. Lawyers love proof of their success.)

4. Can I see any published articles you have written about your field?

5. What professional groups and associations do you belong to?

Different areas of the law may charge differently. Many family law lawyers charge flat rates for certain things, such as name changes. Same for bankruptcy lawyers and criminal defense attorneys. Business lawyers traditionally bill by the hour, and their hourly rates will vary by years of experience, type of expertise (securities lawyers are notoriously expensive), etc.
However, in the area of injury and accident law, the answer is simple: contingency. Accident and serious personal injury cases are complex and costly, and in contingency fee agreements, the contingency is applied ONLY IF YOU WIN.
In contingent fee contracts, most lawyers’ fees range from 33% to 40% of the total award, depending on the case. Often the best lawyer in the field and the worst lawyer will charge the same percentage (the better attorney wins more so he/she doesn’t have to charge more or take on as many clients). Conversely, in an hourly-rate situation, the higher quality attorney might bill double – or more.