By Dan Noll on January 20th, 2023 in
- How do I know if I have a personal injury case?
- Great question. Cases are very fact specific. You should speak to an attorney to discuss the facts of your case to get an opinion if you have a valid claim. That said, generally, another person must owe you a legal duty, violate that duty, and you must suffer physical injuries as a result of the violation of the legal duty. By way of an example, a motorist owes you a legal duty not to hit your vehicle. By running a red light and striking you, they have violated that duty. If you sustained physical injuries, you would have a bodily injury claim against the other motorist.
- How much does the Noll Law Office charge to represent individuals on a personal injury case?
- They represent clients on a contingency fee. That means that you are not required to pay any money out of pocket for their legal services or the costs of litigation. If they are successful in obtaining a settlement or jury verdict, they take a percentage of the settlement. If they are unsuccessful, you do not owe them anything.
- Do I need to hire an attorney for my personal injury case?
- No. It is not required to hire an attorney for a personal injury case. However, if you do not have an attorney, be prepared to speak to an adjuster, obtain your medical records, value your claim, negotiate a settlement, and negotiate with your medical providers. If you are unable to successfully negotiate a settlement, you will need to file a lawsuit, engage in discovery, set and conduct depositions, file pretrial motions, and present the evidence in front of a jury. Often, people who have minor injuries with little or no medical treatment can handle their own claims. However, if you are seriously injured, you should hire an attorney.
- Where do I file a personal injury lawsuit?
- Normally, the lawsuit is filed where the injury occurred. However, this is not an absolute rule and there are exceptions. If you are filing a lawsuit, you should contact an attorney for assistance.
- How do I find a good personal injury attorney?
- Ask questions. How much experience do they have in cases like yours? Do they represent clients in the geographical area where the case would be? What do they charge? How do they handle their fee structure? Have they been successful in cases like this before? Will the attorney you are meeting with be the one who represents you? If not, why not? How long have they been practicing? Have they ever done a jury trial before? When? Where? What was the result? How often will you meet with them or see them? These are some questions you should ask of any personal injury attorney you are thinking about hiring. If you need a personal injury lawyer, the Noll Law Office would be honored to speak with you about your case. Ultimately, you should hire an attorney who you are comfortable with representing you in court. You should have confidence in their legal abilities and know that they will handle the case all the way through trial.
- I have an attorney. Will you provide a second opinion on the settlement offer I have?
- No. Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct 4.2 prohibits lawyers from speaking to you about the case you are represented on while you are represented by another lawyer. This also does not guarantee that the Noll Law Office would take your case if you fired your current lawyer. This is one example of why it is important to hire a lawyer you have confidence in when you are looking for an attorney for your personal injury claim.