Selecting the right mesothelioma attorney is a very important decision that should not be based only on advertisements. You should pay attention to some things before you select an attorney who will represent you in your mesothelioma case.
Most mesothelioma attorneys provide free case evaluation, which may be good for you.
A very important question to ask is how expenses and attorney fees will be handled for your case. Most attorney fees in mesothelioma lawsuits are based on contracts with contingency fee. This means that the attorneys receive a percentage of the amount the client recovers if the mesothelioma lawsuit is successful. Typical contingency fees range from 30 to 40%. If the lawsuit is not successful, then the attorneys earn nothing. This type of mesothelioma attorney would be excellent choice for you.
That percentage is agreed to in a written fee agreement when the client gives the attorney permission to begin work on the case. When you review a contingency agreement with your mesothelioma attorney, it is important to look both at the percentage of your recovery that your attorney will earn and at how the costs of the lawsuit will be paid. Some attorneys request that the lawsuit costs such as expenses related to the investigation, court costs, expert witness fees, etc. be paid as the case progresses while other attorneys only recover these expenses when a case settles or a verdict is reached. Hiring a mesothelioma attorney should bring a financial benefit to you and your family. Talk to your mesothelioma attorney about how he will be paid and about how he can help you and your family.
According to a interesting Wall Street Journal article a few years back, a typical award in a mesothelioma settlement is around $1,000,000. If the mesothelioma cases actually go to trial, the average award goes up to $6.000.000 in 2001.
We suggest a few important things that you should pay attention to when you are selecting your mesothelioma attorney:
- You should hire an attorney or law firm that is experienced in mesothelioma lawsuits. You want someone who is an expert in mesothelioma cases.
- Pay attention to the ratio of won cases in mesothelioma lawsuits.
- Hire a firm that comes to you.
- Another important thing is that you should hire an attorney who will charge you ONLY if the mesothelioma lawsuit settles or a verdict is reached . Your attorney should provide you with a written fee agreement.
- Look for attorneys who offer a FREE initial consultation.
Here are some less important things, butt you should still pay attention to them:
- The location of the attorney (should not be a determining factor, but it does play a role).
- Your personal felling about that attorney (sometimes this can be very important).
- Has your attorney ever had professional sanctions.
- Will your participation be expected in the case.
- How often will you be informed about the status of the matter.
- Some attorneys do something that most law firms don't. They give each client their personal cellphone and home numbers. If this is important to you, you should ask your attorney does do that too.
Some questions to ask your potential attorney:
- Do you intend to handle my mesothelioma case personally?
- What is your experience in representing mesothelioma clients?
- How many mesothelioma cases have you handled?
- What is your philosophy?
- How quickly do you respond personally to my calls?
- What are your expectations about the length of the research stage in my case?
- How much will I be communicating with you personally and how much time will I be communicating with your staff?
- What is the proposed fee?
- What will happen if I fire you in the middle of the case or you withdraw?
- How long will my case take to resolve?
After meeting with the attorney you should ask yourself the following questions:
- Will I be comfortable working with this person?
- Am I confident that the attorney has the skill and experience to handle my case?
- Do I clearly understand the attorneys explanation of what my mesothelioma lawsuit involves?
- Do I understand the proposed fee agreement?
Do not just hire the first mesothelioma attorney you find. It is a good idea to call many of them, and see who fits you best. If the attorney makes you feel uncomfortable or is unprofessional , you should find someone else who will represent you in your mesothelioma process.
Here are some of the ways you can find a mesothelioma attorneys. You can find law firm with experience of dealing with mesothelioma by state in our Mesothelioma Attorney Directory or you can look some of Mesothelioma Attorneys Profiles who are highly experienced in asbestos litigation.
