Long-term or disabling injuries
Future treatment, reduced earning capacity, and permanent limitations require careful documentation and valuation.
Choosing legal representation
Hiring an Attorney FAQs
Understand when legal help may be useful, what a personal injury lawyer does, how contingency fees work, and which questions to ask before hiring a firm.
Four signs you should speak with an injury attorney
Severe injuries
Serious injuries can involve policy limits, liens, multiple coverage sources, and substantial future losses.
Multiple parties or unclear fault
Commercial vehicles, employers, property owners, public entities, and several insurers can make responsibility harder to untangle.
Insurance refusal or bad faith
Unexplained delay, denial, or undervaluation may require a documented response and analysis of the policy and claim file.
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need a personal injury attorney?
Not every minor incident requires a lawyer. A consultation is especially important when injuries are serious or lasting, fault is disputed, several parties are involved, or an insurer delays, denies, or undervalues the claim.
What does a personal injury lawyer do?
A personal injury lawyer investigates fault, preserves evidence, gathers medical and wage documentation, identifies insurance coverage, negotiates with carriers, evaluates deadlines, and prepares a lawsuit or trial when necessary.
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost?
McCormick & Murphy handles injury cases on a contingency fee. The firm earns an attorney fee only if the case is settled or won. Advanced case costs are separate and are explained before representation begins.
How long does a personal injury case take?
The timeline depends on medical recovery, the evidence, insurance coverage, disputed issues, negotiations, and whether litigation is required. A fast settlement is not always a fair settlement.
How should I choose the right lawyer?
Ask who will handle the file, whether the lawyer has tried similar cases, how communication works, what costs may be owed, and whether references, reviews, and professional history can be verified.
Questions to ask before hiring a lawyer
- What are your fees, and how are case costs handled?
- Who will work on my case and answer my questions?
- Have you handled and tried cases involving similar facts or injuries?
- What information do you need from me, and what role will I have?
- What issues could affect the value or timeline of my case?
- Can I review client feedback and the lawyers’ professional histories?
No ethical lawyer can guarantee a result or value before investigating the evidence, insurance, injuries, and applicable law.
More legal resources
Ask McCormick & Murphy about your case
The consultation is free and does not obligate you to hire the firm.