Frequently Asked Questions
Every U.S. state has a different deadline to file injury or wrongful death claims. That said, it’s safest to file before the one-year anniversary of your injury date, if possible. For this reason, we strongly recommend consulting a lawyer as soon as possible about your potential case. Lawyers cannot tell you how long you have until they hear exactly what happened to you and when.
It’s impossible for anyone to give you an accurate amount without knowing all the details about your injury or illness. However, lawyers charge you $0 to review your potential claim and then give you a ballpark figure. This initial consultation’s always free and won’t obligate you to do anything else. Deciding whether to use that lawyer or move forward with your claim is entirely up to you!
Every lawyer in our network offers contingency-based representation. That means you pay $0 in legal fees unless your case wins. All legal fees for winning cases consist of a mutually agreed-on percentage of your final settlement amount. Your matched attorney can explain how his or her fee agreement works during your initial call or in-person meeting. Some states also limit how much a lawyer can charge for cases like yours. More than 9 in 10 cases with lawyers settle out of court, which means you’ll pay much lower legal fees.
In some cases, yes. Medical malpractice, birth injury and some personal injury claims are almost impossible to settle without legal representation. However, you can often settle workers’ compensation and auto accident claims directly through insurance providers. However, you’ll get a lot less money and must waive your right to sue once you accept the insurer’s settlement offer. Attorneys can usually triple the amount of cash you’ll keep from car accident or workers’ comp claims, even after deducting your legal fees.
It could take about 6 months to a year for your attorney to negotiate a settlement out of court. However, it may longer to receive a payout if your case goes to trial. It all depends on how you got hurt and what evidence is available to support your case. This is a great question to ask the lawyer during your free initial consultation! It’s important to remember that even if it takes longer to settle with an attorney, you’ll always get more money than you would without one.
No. Unfortunately, there’s no legal way to recover any financial compensation if your state’s statute of limitations already expired. That’s why it’s so important to talk to a lawyer right away about your injury!
Yes, but only if it’s an immediate family member and you’re within your state’s statute of limitations. You might be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of your loved one to secure compensation. However, an attorney must review your loved one’s case before they can give you a definite answer.
We will do our best to match you with a nearby lawyer with experience handling other cases like yours. Just click the type of claim you need help with on the menu at the top of this page. Then, fill out the form that you see on that next page to request a free, no-obligation case evaluation. A nearby attorney will call to discuss your case during regular business hours if you qualify for legal assistance.
Part of the lawyer’s job is to look at any documents you already have related to your injury. This usually involves medical records, photos, video camera footage (if applicable), x-rays, hospital bills, etc. Your lawyer can also reach out to local police, medical licensing boards, insurance companies and eyewitnesses for additional evidence. Attorneys also have access to resources like experts willing to testify on your behalf or court documents filed in similar cases that may help support your claim.
Probably not. Most injury cases settle out of court (94%-97% never go to trial, depending on the type of claim you file). However, this is a good question to ask your matched lawyer during your free initial consultation.