Frequently Asked Questions
We know it can seem overwhelming to navigate a legal matter when a personal injury or wrongful death has devastated your life.
We are here to help.
Q: Do you charge for the first appointment with an attorney?
A: If you have a personal injury case, there is no charge for the first office visit.
Q: How do you charge legal fees?
A. Ordinarily, in personal injury cases, it is up to the client to choose whether they want to pay a percentage of the recovery (called a contingent fee) or pay the attorney by the hour. Virtually all of our personal injury clients choose a contingent fee.
Q: Will I have to pay for expenses?
A: In personal injury matters, the expenses are usually reimbursed to the lawyers at the end of the case when a settlement or a judgment is reached. We will discuss any significant expenses for your case before they are incurred.
Q: How long will it take to resolve my case?
A. It depends upon the type of case. Some cases resolve without a lawsuit, but others do not. If it becomes necessary to bring a lawsuit, a trial is usually scheduled within one year.
Q: Will I be charged every time I call the office?
A: Usually not. In personal injury cases, since most fees are contingent fees, there is no charge for speaking to either the attorneys or the assistants during the course of your case. In fact, we encourage you to contact us if you have any questions about the way your case is progressing.
Q: Do I have to pay back my health insurance provider?
A. Most of the time, if you have private health insurance which pays for the injuries you suffer in a personal injury case, you must pay back the payments made by the health insurance company. These are called “subrogation rights”. We ordinarily attempt to negotiate the amount of the repayment directly with your health insurance company.
Q: What if I am injured on the job? If I get worker’s comp, can I also bring a lawsuit?
A: The worker’s compensation laws prevent you from suing your employer or co-workers in most instances. However, if the injury you received at work is caused by a “third party” either from the negligence of someone else who is not a co-employee or by a dangerous product, you can commence a lawsuit against the “third party”.
As with private health insurance, you must pay back the benefits received with the worker’s comp insurance company. We ordinarily attempt to negotiate the amount of repayment directly with the insurance company.
Q: Will the information I provide to you be kept confidential?
A. Absolutely. By law, all conversations with our office are protected by the “attorney-client” privilege. Ethically, the lawyers and all members of the staff must keep all of the information about you and your case confidential. Confidentiality is very important to us because we know it is important to you.
Q: Do you give advice over the telephone?
A: If you are an existing client and have a specific question we would be happy to address it over the telephone. If you are a new client, and if yours is the type of case we handle, we would be happy to make an appointment to meet with you and provide you with advice. Because of our commitment to our clients and our cases, we feel that a face-to-face appointment is important for both you and for us. Other lawyers may advertise “free advice about your case over the phone”, but our goal is to provide you with the best possible advice, which usually means a more personal approach.
Q: If you do not take my case, will you help me to get another lawyer?
A. Most of the time, we will be happy to refer you to an attorney who practices law in the area where you need help. We do not charge clients for referring them to appropriate attorneys for their problems.
Contact Us About Your Case
We encourage you to contact us to set up an appointment to sit down and talk. There is no charge for the first visit in injury cases. We will evaluate your case and talk in terms you can understand. We have prospered for more than forty years by keeping client satisfaction as our main goal.