Important: This article is intended to provide general information and is not legal advice. The facts of every legal matter are different, and the law itself can change. For advice about your specific legal question or situation, Minnesota Lawyer Referral recommends consulting with a licensed Minnesota attorney who can apply current Minnesota law to the facts of your case.

Personal injury attorneys aren’t exactly hard to find. You likely walk or drive past several billboards or bus benches on your daily commute that say something along the lines of, “Injured in a Car Crash? Call Us!” Personal injury law firms regularly promote their services across the airwaves, local TV stations, and the internet with advertising.

The sheer volume of options can be confusing for many people looking for a personal injury lawyer. The choice is harder to make when you have literally hundreds of options, especially if you’re not a legal expert.

Asking friends and family you trust who have gone through the personal injury process is one way to start. Someone you know may have had a particularly good experience with a lawyer they hired.

If you’re searching online, you should pay close attention to what a law firm’s past clients say about their experience. Keep in mind, even the best lawyers may have some negative reviews about their work because not every client will be happy with their case results, even if the lawyer provided good representation.

If you’re looking for an unbiased referral you may want to contact a non-profit lawyer referral service, such as Minnesota Lawyer Referral. Lawyers can’t pay for increased referrals on these services. Instead, referrals are based on each attorney’s reputation, their experience, and their geographic location.

What You Should Ask an Attorney During Your Initial Consultation

Initial consultations with attorneys are comparable in many ways to job interviews. You’re the employer in this scenario, so you should go into the consultation with an idea of what you want to say and ask.

Consider asking specific questions, like how many similar cases they’ve had in the past year, and how long they have been practicing personal injury law. The more local experience a lawyer has the more likely they are familiar with local judges and court procedures.

Also ask about your lawyer’s expectations for your case. A personal injury lawyer shouldn’t guarantee any specific outcome, but they should be able to estimate how long cases like yours generally take and the types of resolutions they’ve seen in similar cases.

The size of a law firm or an attorney’s staff could have a significant impact on who handles various aspects of your case and the type of communication you’ll receive from your legal team. The attorney you speak with at a large firm may not end up being the attorney who handles your case. So make sure to clarify those details.

Even if you’ve personally met with the lead attorney, there may be legal assistants or paralegals who will be in charge of filing and scheduling various aspects of your case.

Don’t hesitate to ask about communication and who will be handling your case. How long will they typically take to return emails or calls if you have questions? How frequently will they update you on your case’s progress? What information would they need from you before they can get started on your case?

Lastly you should ask about billing and their fees. Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, which typically means no up-front attorney fees.  Instead, you generally pay the attorney a percentage of any money you receive if your case is successful and you receive a settlement or court decision. Be sure to ask about any other costs you might have to pay so you understand the arrangement before hiring the attorney.

Simplify Your Personal Injury Attorney Search with Help from Minnesota Lawyer Referral

People seeking the assistance of a personal injury attorney in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area can trust the Minnesota Lawyer Referral to put them in touch with a reputable, qualified lawyer. MNLR is a public service of the Hennepin County and Ramsey County Bar Associations.

Call (612) 752-6699 to get in touch with a referral counselor for an unbiased referral to a qualified local personal injury lawyer.

Disclaimer: This information should be used for general information and not as legal advice for a specific legal matter you may be facing. If you have a specific legal problem, you are encouraged to discuss your situation with a lawyer in the appropriate jurisdiction.