Before hiring an attorney, consider asking these questions

Most industrial accidents involve large companies with vast resources and teams of lawyers standing by to defend them. For the worker injured in an industrial accident the injuries are often severe, such as second- or third-degree burns, brain or spinal cord injuries or amputations. If you’ve suffered a severe injury in an industrial accident, you will likely have many questions when hiring a workplace injury or industrial accident attorney, such as whether your personal injury case is winnable, what your legal costs will be and whether the case will go before a jury.

We know that hiring an attorney might not be your top priority when you or a loved one are seriously injured in a work accident, but we encourage you to call a legal professional as soon as possible.

Article: When a catastrophic injury occurs at work.

From traumatic brain injury to an injury causing disfigurement or permanent disability, catastrophic injuries require long-term medical treatment and have life-altering consequences for you and your family. Read more about when a catastrophic injury occurs at work.

Severe work injuries and industrial accidents v. personal injury cases

Personal injury cases are varied, from medical malpractice to product liability to dog bites and car accidents. Some of these categories are unique and require an extra level of knowledge and experience.

Industrial accidents can be especially complex. You’ll be eligible for workers’ compensation, which is a no-fault system established to provide immediate relief for your workplace injury. If you are severely injured, you also may have a claim for social security disability if you are unable to return to work. It’s also likely you have a personal injury claim against your employer or another third party responsible for the accident.

To receive the best representation for your workplace injury claim, you will need an  attorney experienced in the laws regulating workers’ compensation, disability and personal injury. Before hiring a workplace injury or industrial accident attorney, consider asking these questions during your initial consultation.

Questions when hiring a workplace injury or industrial accident lawyer

Before hiring a workplace injury or industrial accident attorney, consider asking these questions during your initial consultation.

How soon should I get an attorney for my industrial accident claim?

Industrial accident cases are a good example of David versus Goliath. Big companies have substantial resources to protect them from lawsuits and paying out large settlements.

Your employers’ insurance company, legal counsel and senior management will begin exploring ways to shield the company’s interests within hours of the accident. That’s why it’s crucial you consider hiring a workplace injury attorney as soon as possible. The workplace injury attorney can preserve evidence and gather facts about the nature of the accident, what caused the accident and who is liable for the accident that caused your injury.

Will I win this case?

Most personal injury attorneys, including the attorneys at Trammell Piazza Law Firm, do not take compensation for their work until or unless the case is won in your favor. If the law firm agrees to represent you in your industrial accident or workplace injury claim, they do so with the understanding that it will be many months before they see payment for their work. If a workplace injury takes your case, they likely believe a third party such as your employer was negligent in allowing the circumstances that led to the accident.

Some common examples of situations when a third party worker injury claim may be warranted include:

  • Defective or malfunctioning equipment was the cause of your injury.
  • Your employer failed to provide adequate safety measures or training or ignored documented threats to worker safety in the workplace.
  • A monitoring system or piece of heavy equipment sustained a major failure injuring more than one worker in the workplace.
  • A fire or explosion in the workplace caused your injury.Your employer willfully violated OSHA regulations that allowed an accident to occur.
  • You suffered a high-voltage electrical shock from exposed wiring or wiring not properly installed by a different contractor than your employer.

Who will work my workplace injury case if your law firm takes it on?

We’ve all seen the billboards and TV commercials for large personal injury law firms trying to gain your business. In reality, instead of your case being worked by senior attorneys at the firm with years of experience, many instead farm the majority of work off to junior associates, legal secretaries and paralegals. In fact, after your initial consultation, you may never speak to your attorney again for the duration of the case.

In complex industrial accident and workplace injury lawsuits, having the assurance that the expertise of a top-level, senior partner or attorney can make the difference between a quick settlement and substantial compensation that assures you can maintain a high quality of life after your injury.

What is your level of courtroom trial experience?

Keep in mind most civil cases do not go to court. More likely, the two parties in the lawsuit will arrive at a third-party settlement through their attorneys. While it’s likely that your lawsuit might not go to trial, your personal injury attorney should have experience as a trial lawyer should the case be presented before the court. If your attorney is known for quick settlements, there’s a good chance the defendant ill make a lower settlement offer and encourage you to accept it in order to avoid a trial. The knowledge that your attorney is also a tenacious trial lawyer who will take the defendants to court if necessary to get the compensation you deserve can be to your advantage when negotiating a settlement.

No matter how likely your case is to settle, it’s wise to choose an attorney who is competent and experienced taking a case to trial.

What is your fee for taking on my industrial accident or worker injury case?

Industrial accident and workplace injury cases are expensive cases to fight. Fees include court filing fees, paid experts, investigative and information-gathering fees and administrative fees.

Typically, personal injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis. This means they receive no payment until your case is complete and they can obtain some sort of recovery through either a third-party settlement or jury verdict. Most personal injury attorneys charge around 33% of the amount you recover. This means that if your case settles or you win a financial award through a trial and you get $100,000, your attorney will receive $33,333, plus legal costs such as filing fees.

Trammell Piazza: Experienced trial lawyers who are in your corner

Trammell Piazza offers special legal expertise in personal injury law in workplace injuries and industrial accidents. Trusted and respected severe injury attorneys with extensive trial experience, Trammell Piazza is focused on successfully achieving compensation to provide for you financially after a workplace injury. Our industrial accident lawyers have recovered millions of dollars for severely injured workers.

Contact our experienced legal team to request a no-cost, no-obligation consultation to review your legal options to pursue the financial compensation you deserve.