What Should I Ask When Hiring a Wrongful Death Attorney?

An accidental death has the tendency to traumatize an entire family, both emotionally and financially. In addition to trying to overcome the grief you feel after losing a loved one, you’re faced with a growing mountain of debt, funeral costs, medical bills and missed wages. This is when hiring a wrongful death attorney can help your financial situation.

When someone dies as a result of negligence of another, a wrongful death lawsuit is one way to provide restitution to the surviving family members. But first, you need to hire the most qualified wrongful death attorney to represent you. Don’t do this in haste; instead, take the time to research lawyers in your area and ask them questions.

Here are some important questions you should ask your wrongful death attorney before settling on the right one for you.

How Much Experience Do You Have in These Types of Cases?

While many attorneys say they practice personal injury law, this is a broad catch-all term that isn’t necessarily focused on wrongful death cases in particular. Wrongful death is a very complicated and complex area of the law, so make sure you hire someone who has many years of experience in this area.

Ask:

How many wrongful death cases have they personally handled?
Do they deal specifically with this area of the law?
How many successes and failures have they had?

When the lawyer has vast experience in this branch, they can better evaluate your case and use the approach with the best likelihood of garnering a successful settlement. Choosing an experienced lawyer ensures you are getting access to the tenacity and skill necessary to negotiate a settlement or fight for your rights in a court of law.

How Long Will the Process Take?

No one can say with any accuracy, even experienced lawyers, but they should be able to give you an estimate. That’s because there are any number of factors involved in a case like this, with several delays possible. The details of the case, the ease or difficulty in proving guilt and innocence, and the number of witnesses and parties involved will all play into the final timeline.

Ask the attorney what kind of caseload they are currently handling, to give you a better idea of how much time they will be able to devote to your case.

Do You Think I Have a Case?

Once they have heard the details of your claim during your initial consultation, your wrongful death attorney can tell you honestly what they think about your case. While they can’t give definitive answers about the outcome, they can let you know if you indeed have a case and if it is worth moving forward.

What works for you? What works against you? What factors in the case could pose an advantage or a problem for you?

You should also inquire as to what kind of monetary settlement they think you could realistically get, given the facts they have now.

Who Will Work on My Case?

Many large law firms consist of attorneys, paralegals and support staff. One attorney may conduct your initial consultation, while another may be assigned to your case. Or, it could all be the same lawyer involved in all steps. Make it clear: who will be the lead attorney? Will there be paralegals and associates assisting with the workload? Who should you contact if you have questions?