If you’ve been injured in an accident and are considering filing a lawsuit, your first step will be talking to a Michigan personal injury lawyer. At this initial visit, you will evaluate the attorney, to determine he or she is competent and you trust him or her. In addition, the attorney will be evaluating you and your potential case. Here are some factors a Michigan personal injury lawyer will consider in deciding whether to represent you:
Typically, a personal injury lawyer gets paid only if the case is won, so if the attorney doesn’t see your case as profitable, it likely won’t be accepted. Even if your case is accepted, there are no sure winners. In general, attorneys live by the 80/20 rule: eighty percent of their income is generated by twenty percent of their cases. If your case is accepted, keep this in mind as the case moves forward.
In assessing the potential value of your case, the attorney will try to identify all possible defendants and the extent of their insurance coverage. In addition, as crass as it may sound, the attorney will evaluate the nature and extent of your injuries. Why? Because more serious injuries generate higher damages awards.
Finally, the attorney will use this initial meeting to evaluate you and your credibility. Is your story believable? Do you seem to be embellishing? Are you sympathetic? How articulate would you be if called to testify?
If you were injured in an auto accident and you are wondering about your legal options, please contact us. Our experienced Michigan injury attorneys will be happy to sit down with you and discuss the facts of your particular case. To get started, please use the Free Case Evaluation form on this page to tell us about your situation, or call or email our office.