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5 Questions to Ask A Chester County Personal Injury Lawyer

The best thing that you can do after an accident is to seek out a Chester County, PA personal injury lawyer who has the legal expertise necessary to handle your case. 

Every personal injury lawyer is different, and the lawyer you choose can have a huge effect on the potential outcome of your case. And that’s not even to mention the many complexities inherent to the legal system and case-filing process. 

So, if you’re a recent victim in a personal injury case, here are 5 questions that you should ask your Chester County personal injury lawyer to ensure that you have all the information you need to take on your case with confidence. 

What Experience Do You Have With Cases Like Mine?

Personal injury law covers a wide range of accidents and injuries. A lawyer who is handling car accident claims one day may also represent people injured in truck accidents, slip and fall incidents, nursing home neglect cases, medical malpractice claims, and more. That being said, each of these types of cases can be drastically different and come with their own unique set of legal challenges and requirements.

By asking about similar case experience, it can help you understand whether the law firm you are considering has handled claims involving incidents like yours. Though a law firm may be ready to tell you that they are well-equipped to handle your case, proven experience is really the only way that you can confirm that claim beforehand.  

An experienced attorney needs to know how to gather evidence, evaluate medical documentation, and address the specific challenges that may arise during your claim filing process. So, if the personal injury lawyer that you are considering hasn’t dealt with similar cases in the past, it may be in your best interest to look elsewhere for legal representation. 

How Will You Communicate With Me During My Case?

Communication is easily one of the most important parts of any attorney-client relationship. Injury claims can take time, especially when medical treatment is ongoing or liability is contested. During this lengthy process, you should feel like you are well-informed with the most accurate and up-to-date information about any developments in your case.

It’s always beneficial to ask who will handle day-to-day communication. In some firms, the attorney will personally provide updates themselves, and in others, case managers or support staff may be the ones doing the communicating. Understanding exactly who you will have access to can help you set clearer expectations from the start.

You should also ask how often you can expect to receive updates and whether communication will happen through phone calls, emails, or scheduled meetings. Again, there is no right answer for everyone here, as long as you know that the Chester County, PA personal injury lawyer you choose will be able to answer your questions clearly and respond within a reasonable timeframe.

What Is Your Strategy for Handling My Personal Injury Claim?

Every injury case is different, and a legal strategy that works in one situation might not really apply in another. This makes asking about the potential strategies that your personal injury lawyer plans to employ incredibly important. 

Whether your case involves pretty straightforward liability or requires extensive investigation, including reviewing accident reports, witness statements, medical records, photographs, and insurance information, knowing more about your potential lawyer’s strategy can give you insight about whether or not they are the right person for the job.  

Along the same lines, it can also be helpful to ask how the attorney approaches settlement negotiations. Insurance companies almost always try to minimize payouts, especially when injuries involve long-term treatment or lost income. If you can confirm that your attorney has a strong negotiation strategy, it can give you a lot more confidence as you move forward with the process.

What Challenges Could Affect My Case?

Any experienced personal injury lawyer in Chester County, PA should be willing and eager to discuss both the strengths and possible weaknesses of your case. This is especially true in cases that involve disputed fault, conflicting witness accounts, or limited insurance coverage. Even something like delays in medical treatment can create challenges when proving the extent of your injuries. 

These obstacles can affect everything from general timelines to settlement discussions and litigation decisions. This means that regardless of the specifics of your case, asking about the potential challenges beforehand can make all the difference when it comes to feeling ready and prepared to progress your personal injury case. 

What Should I Expect During A Pennsylvania Personal Injury Case?

Most people aren’t familiar with the ins and outs of personal injuries and the inner workings of the complex legal system before they have an accident of their own. Unfortunately, this often leaves personal injury victims completely in the dark about what to expect from the claim-filing and settlement processes. 

The process for various types of cases often looks completely different from one another. Though most cases settle outside of court, many others don’t, requiring much more time and preparation to handle. The only way to know for sure is to ask how similar cases your personal injury lawyer has handled tend to work out.  

Because there is so much variance in the claims process, inquiring about what you can expect the process to look like is essential to ensuring that you aren’t caught off guard with any surprises down the road. 

Contact HoeyLegal Today

Are you looking for a Chester County, PA personal injury lawyer that you can trust with your personal injury case? Give us a call. 

Our team of legal experts is always here to answer questions and will happily take the time to get to know you and your case. We even offer free, no-obligation legal consultations so that you can get the expert advice you need to put yourself on the best path forward. 

Don’t trust just anyone with your personal injury case. Contact HoeyLegal and take the first step toward the fair and just compensation you deserve today. 

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Distracted Driving

Pennsylvania defines distracted driving as “an activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving.” Drivers have to focus on driving, so they can react to the information on the road, such as road conditions, hazards and other drivers. Distracted drivers do not react appropriately and thus put others at risk for severe injury or death. Examples of distractions, besides using cell phones and texting, include drinking, eating, adjusting the radio, adjusting climate controls, adjusting seats, combing hair, putting on make-up, daydreaming, reaching for dropped items, engaging in heavy conversations, and focusing on events outside of the car.

Driving Under the Influence

Driving under the influence typically refers to alcohol use, but drug use can also impair drivers and cause severe car accidents.  In either situation, enjoying cocktails at happy hour, celebrating with drugs or alcohol, drinking too much wine for dinner and unwinding after a long week at work results in too many motorists driving under the influence.  Controlled substances impact each person differently, making it common for someone to misjudge his or her level of impairment.  These poor judgments can lead to severe and sometimes fatal car accidents.

Driver Fatigue

Driving without enough sleep is commonplace for many in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and across the nation. Truck drivers, shift workers, and those with sleep disorders are most vulnerable to causing an accident because they are drowsy or fatigued. Not having enough rest slows down reaction time and impairs the senses. In fact, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) claims that eighteen (18) hours without sleep impairs a driver to the same extent as someone who has a 0.08 blood or breath alcohol concentration after consuming alcohol.

Speeding

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that one-third of all car accidents involve speeding. Drivers who rush, run late, or simply lack patience may choose to speed when they get behind the wheel. Speeding makes it more likely that a driver will lose control of his or her vehicle and makes it more difficult to react to road hazards and other vehicles. Speeding also increases the impact of a car accident and makes it far less likely that a negligent driver may maintain control of his vehicle sufficient to prevent a collision. High speed car accidents make it far more likely that those involved will suffer severe injuries or death.

OBTAIN NECESSARY COURT ORDERS TO PRESERVE EVIDENCE

At HoeyLegal, we know from our litigation experience that tractor-trailer drivers often operate at least one cellular phone which is in use at, during, or immediately prior to a tractor-trailer accident. Additionally, most tractor-trailers are equipped with data recorders which capture, in real-time, important vehicle operation events including speed, hard braking and other evasive maneuvers taken by the operator and the tractor-trailer.  It is imperative that this evidence be obtained before it is destroyed.  At HoeyLegal, our trial attorneys will obtain any necessary court order to preserve this evidence for trial.

IDENTIFY ALL AT-FAULT DEFENDANTS

Oftentimes, there are several defendants responsible for the tractor-trailer accident. In most cases, at least two defendants are responsible for the ownership and operation of the tractor-trailer.  There may be additional defendants responsible for the hiring and retention of the tractor-trailer driver.  At HoeyLegal, our investigators will promptly identify the responsible defendants and immediately request the preservation of all evidence related to the hiring and retention of the driver, inspection of the vehicles and the supervision and drug/alcohol testing of the vehicle operator.

LOCATE, EXAMINE AND INSPECT THE TRACTOR-TRAILER

Our accident investigators include mechanics who will immediately respond to the accident site and the location where the truck has been impounded in order to photograph the truck and conduct necessary mechanical inspections of the vehicle. In the event that a court order is necessary to examine and inspect the trucks, HoeyLegal Attorneys will promptly file the necessary motions to enable the HoeyLegal mechanics and inspectors to conduct a prompt evaluation of the mechanical function of the at-fault tractor-trailer

ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION

Our expert accident investigators include former Pennsylvania State Police accident investigators and nationally recognized engineers who will carefully photograph the accident scene and conduct all necessary measurements of skid marks, yaw marks, displacement of debris and thoroughly examine the accident site to preserve all evidence for the time of trial.

INTERVIEW ALL WITNESS

Our investigators will promptly interview and record all witnesses that observed the accident and collect all biographical information from the witnesses so they will available to testify on your behalf at trial.

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