10 Important Questions to Ask a Houston Head Injury Attorney

Head injuries. They are something you need to watch out for and risks you need to know about if you are entering hazardous activities. 

That said, there are enough traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) to make this an alarming issue. There are about 425,000 traumatic brain injuries per year in the United States. 

If you suffer a head injury that ends up traumatic, you may be eligible for compensation. If you are in the Houston area, a Houston head injury attorney may be just what you need. 

What should you know about a brain injury lawyer? What are the biggest keys for a brain injury attorney to win your case? 

These are ten questions that you need to ask a potential lawyer. 

What Is Your Experience? 

The first thing that you need to ask your potential attorney is what their experience is when it comes to handling cases like yours. How many cases have they had related to traumatic brain injuries? 

This is the information you need to find out because if you have a lawyer that has handled more cases like yours than the average lawyer, it is likely that they have learned how to win these cases. But, you need to ensure it is in your area rather than say wrongful death cases. 

Having experience with these cases should also give them more well-rounded knowledge of the subject and what qualifies as compensation. Best of all, it should reassure you that the lawyer knows what it takes to win a case like yours with the right experience under their belt. 

How Much Do You Charge? 

Unfortunately, like everything else in life, there will likely be lawyers that are just out of your reach financially. Luckily for you, lawyers in these types of cases may be willing to accept a contingency fee rather than a flat fee. 

A contingency fee is when you give a lawyer a percentage of what you might win in a settlement, whereas a flat fee is how much a lawyer charges hourly. 

Regarding contingency fees, the average lawyer charges between 33-40% of the settlement. With that in mind, do not be afraid to do some shopping and see what percentage some lawyers may want to take on your case. 

Also, be aware that if your case is more complex or if it takes longer than expected, a lawyer may ask you to pay them a retainer of a few thousand dollars for the work they have done up to that point. 

How Long Will This Take? 

Another critical question you should ask a lawyer is how long the case will take. This is key to establishing good early communication and gives a lawyer the chance to explain the process to a novice client. 

It can also be an early opportunity to establish trust between both parties. If you ask several lawyers the same question, one sleazy lawyer may tell you that they can get the case settled in half of the time of the others. 

While they may have the talent to do this, the odds of this dramatic difference being true are highly unlikely. 

Ask this question to find a lawyer you trust and get an idea of which lawyer is good at communicating with you. 

Do You Have References and Reviews? 

Asking a lawyer about their references and reviews can establish credibility in their name. They may have testimonials from past clients, and you can read their stories. 

If the lawyer has a business social media page or a location on Google, you can read comments and reviews of what other people may think about this lawyer. If it is close to a 5-star review average with a lot of positive stories, you should have more reassurance that this lawyer is the right one for you. 

Plus, it could be possible that you found this lawyer via word of mouth. Getting a reference from someone you trust could make all of the difference. 

How Successful Have You Been? 

This question goes along with the experience question. However, it focuses not just on the number of cases like yours that they have had but also on how many of those cases they won. 

It can be easy to be impressed by a lawyer in the business for 20 years and triple the cases of someone that has been in the industry for five years. 

However, it is possible that the first lawyer was lucky to win half of their cases while the second lawyer won over 80% of their cases. 

Dig deeper into this question and determine how often the lawyer gets the client what they ask for. 

How Many People Do You Work With? 

How many people does a lawyer work with, maybe something a novice client lets slip by? However, it is something you need to consider if you get the impression that your case will be more difficult. 

For example, let’s say your case gains momentum and turns into a class action lawsuit. You and other potential victims bring this knowledge to your current lawyer, and while you may not realize it, that lawyer and/or firm may start to feel overwhelmed. 

You need to pay attention to how big of a law firm your potential attorney has. If you go to one bigger than the others and ask them about the role of a team, it should give you an idea if you need a more prominent law firm to handle your case. 

How Many Cases Do You Have at Once? 

Relating to the people on a lawyer’s team, you need to consider how many cases that lawyer may handle at once. This can apply to one lawyer taking on your topic or a small group taking on your case. 

Let’s face it, everyone wants to receive individualized attention, and most people would like reassurance that their lawyer’s focus is on their case. That can get difficult if a lawyer ends up with more cases than they can handle, so try to get an idea of how many they are currently working on. 

Do You Know Local Officials? 

This is a question that most clients may not think of, but it is one that they should ask their lawyer. It gives them an insight into how much experience a lawyer has in practicing in their local area and how much a lawyer knows their potential opposition. 

Knowing the local officials means lawyers can be on a first-name basis with prosecutors, judges, other lawyers, and even police officers. This means that they have a better idea of what each person would do in a situation in a courtroom and have a much better idea of how to counter it. 

How Can You Prove Guilt? 

An obvious question for a lawyer should be how they will prove that the other party is guilty after listening to your story. Make a lawyer walk you through the process and make them gain your confidence that you have a real case to work with here. 

It can also give you a better idea of your chances of winning in court. For example, if a lawyer is upfront and tells you that the proof in your case may be challenging to present, it can get you to start thinking early about whether this is a battle worth fighting. 

Can You Trust Them? 

Finally, this may be the most critical question about a lawyer. Some people may find it hard to trust any lawyer fully; however, you should at least be reassured that they are the right person to represent you and give you the best chance of winning the case. 

While it would be difficult to get a complete impression of a lawyer in a short meeting, use the consultation time to get an idea of their personality and ask yourself if it is someone you can work well with. 

Hire a Houston Head Injury Attorney

These are just ten questions you should ask before hiring a Houston head injury attorney. If you remember these and other clever questions before locking down a lawyer, your chances of success should dramatically increase. 

Are you ready to get started? Get in touch with us today to start going over your case.