Questions for lawyers

What a Family Should Ask When Interviewing a Lawyer

* How many brain injury cases has the lawyer handled?

* If a child is involved, how many cases involving children from infants up to 18?

* A lawyer that does not have a lot of experience working with children is not appropriate if you are dealing with an injured child.

* Ask for the name of at least three families for you to talk to.

* Many of the very good lawyers have extremely competent and experienced legal assistants and you should ask at the beginning, if that particular lawyer uses legal assistants at all times and ask to meet them as well.

* Ask for the court registry number of any cases where that lawyer may have been involved in where there has been a judgement.

* How does that lawyer work with ICBC?

* Does that lawyer ever act as a defence lawyer for ICBC?

* What are the names of the experts usually used by the lawyer for neuropsychology, neurology and vocational?

* What is the fee structure?
(a) What is the percentage charged on a contingency basis;
(b) what is that lawyer’s practice when it comes to disbursements?(Disbursements are those expenses that have to be incurred in a lawsuit such as: investigation reports, specialists to do independent medical examinations, neuropsychologists, different doctors and so on. Each of these reports will cost many thousands of dollars.)
(c) Does the lawyer charge interest; if he advances the disbursements,
(d) does the lawyer expect the family to cover the cost of the disbursements as incurred?

* Be well organized when you go to meet a lawyer and bring this sheet with you and paper to write the response down on. There is absolutely no harm in making sure that the lawyer knows that you are checking out other lawyers as well.

* Meet with at least three different lawyers before deciding, more if you are not happy with the three initial lawyers that you meet with.

* When interviewing the lawyer, remember that this is likely to be a long-term relationship until the case settles or goes to court, so you must be very comfortable with that lawyer. Again, a reminder, interview at least three different lawyers.