As experienced personal injury attorneys, we often anticipate questions and concerns from our clients. We take pride in being compassionate lawyers, helping our clients each step along the way, answering their questions and quelling their concerns. As you explore your legal options, here are three questions you might be wondering about and some of the common answers we use successfully to advise our clients.
1. How Long Will My Case Take?
This is often the first question we hear from prospective clients, and unfortunately, it is not one we can answer definitively. The truth is the length of your personal injury case can depend on a few important factors; an attorney should never promise to wrap up your case quickly or offer quick settlements, especially if it is before you’ve recovered from your injuries.
- It depends on how long you are receiving treatment and how quickly and how well you recover. In some cases, you may make a complete recovery quickly and we can proceed with the case. In other cases, you may require longer periods of treatment or only partially recover, in which case we will wait for your doctor to advise us that no more healing will occur and you will be left with lasting or permanent symptoms or disabilities.
- It depends on the insurance company and if they extend a reasonable settlement offer. Following your recovery period, we will attempt to negotiate a settlement amount that is reasonable and that you are able to accept. If the settlement amount is acceptable to you, your case will end.
- It depends on if no settlement is offered, if the offer is insufficient or if you decide to file a lawsuit. The decision to accept a settlement, if it is offered, or to pursue a lawsuit is entirely up to each individual client. Filing a lawsuit will extend the length of a case.
2. How much is my case worth?
Many clients ask the potential worth of their case not because they are greedy, or looking for quick money, but because they are just not sure if their case is even worth pursuing. That is where our expertise and experience as Milwaukee personal injury attorneys can make a difference. Here are a few factors we often consider when we talk to our clients:
- How has the accident affected your life? The worth of your case can often depend on how severely the accident affects your quality of life. If you are an active person and can no longer be active, or if you can no longer work, those factors can make a difference in the case. Additionally, medical support and cooperation from your doctor or medical team can improve your chances of obtaining a reasonable settlement amount.
- If your case is going to trial, a jury will decide. The ultimate decision as to what your case is worth in court belongs to the jury. If the jury is sympathetic to you and your case, your chances of a favorable result will improve.
- How you present yourself. We hate to say it, but appearances matter, especially when it comes to a jury trial. If you are likeable and present yourself well, you will often have a better outcome in either settlement proceedings or at trial.
- You must tell the truth. The most important factor is that you are truthful. If information is brought forth during settlement negotiations or at trial that you have not be forthright and truthful, for example, in your interactions with a police officer or healthcare provider, your case worth will decrease substantially.
3. How Much Will You Charge?
At Murphy & Prachthauser we work on a contingent fee. This means we ask for a percentage of what you recover either through a settlement or a jury trial of your personal injury lawsuit. If there is no recovery, we charge no fee.
Do you have other questions about your specific case? Let us know and we will do our best to help!
At Murphy & Prachthauser we practice personal injury law the way it should be practiced – motivated and equipped to do our best for you. We take pride in being good lawyers who help people.
If you have a case you would like to speak to a lawyer about, please contact us to schedule a free consultation and get an experienced team of lawyers working on your behalf.