Frequently Asked Legal Questions
Previous Page- How much does a personal injury attorney cost?
- Why do the personal injury attorneys at Pocrass & De Los Reyes work on a contingency basis?
- Do all lawyers work on a contingency basis?
- How much is my case worth?
- How long does a case take to be resolved?
- Will my case go to trial?
- How much input will I have in my case?
- Will Pocrass & De Los Reyes take my case?
- If Pocrass & De Los Reyes don’t take my case does that mean it’s not a good case?
- I’m unhappy with my attorney and would like to talk with a personal injury attorney at Pocrass & De Los Reyes about their representing me. How do I do that?
- I have been referred to Pocrass & De Los Reyes by another attorney. He said you will pay him a referral fee. Does that come out of the money you obtain for me?
- Are there legal deadlines that can affect my case?
Q: How much does a personal injury attorney cost?
A: The personal injury attorneys at Pocrass & De Los Reyes work on a contingency basis. This means that you do not pay an hourly fee. You pay nothing until your case is resolved. Once a verdict or settlement is reached and paid to a client, Pocrass & De Los Reyes receive a pre-agreed upon percentage of the recovery. If we lose the case, we receive no fee. As you can see, that means you and we are in this together.
Q: Why do the personal injury attorneys at Pocrass & De Los Reyes work on a contingency basis?
A: Most plaintiff attorneys work on a contingency basis because we know that most people could not otherwise afford to seek justice from their wrongdoer. This is especially true when the wrongdoer is an insurance company or corporate or governmental entity. By working on contingency, Pocrass & De Los Reyes are able to “level the playing field,” giving you the same (or better) quality legal representation as a big company, insurance company, or government entity has.
Q: Do all lawyers work on a contingency basis?
A: Most defense attorneys and corporate attorneys are paid on an hourly basis by their wealthy companies. If they win a case they are defending, there is no compensation in which they could take a percentage. Because they are paid hourly, it is in their self-interest to make the case last as long as possible so they can bill their clients for more hours. This is why it is important that the personal injury attorney you choose have the financial resources to fight as long as it is necessary.
Q: How much is my case worth?
A: It is impossible to tell you exactly how much your case is worth. The personal injury attorneys at Pocrass & De Los Reyes need to examine all the details of your legal issue and research what like-cases have recovered. But there is no guarantee of any amount or even that you will win. But remember, we don’t get paid unless you get paid, so it is in our self-interest to do everything legally possible to win your case.
Q: How long does a case take to be resolved?
A: A lawsuit can take months or years to resolve, depending on the type of case it is and the circumstances surrounding the issues. Insurance companies and corporations often delay with continuances, depositions, and extensive paperwork. The resolution of your medical issues also must be resolved in order to know the full amount of compensation due you. Additionally, the legal process itself requires a series of steps that cannot be rushed.
Q: Will my case go to trial?
A: Not necessarily. The majority of cases settle before trial. This can happen at any time, right away or even during the trial, and any time in-between. It also is possible that your lawsuit will go to mediation, where it is heard by a neutral third-party who attempts to help the two sides come to an agreement.
Q: How much input will I have in my case?
A: The personal injury attorneys at Pocrass & De Los Reyes believe in keeping our clients completely informed of what is happening in their case. That means we and our staff are available to answer phone calls and emails and that we make every effort to explain your legal situation and options so you can make good decisions. If a settlement is offered, it is always brought to the client for their consideration.
Q: Will Pocrass & De Los Reyes take my case?
A: The personal injury attorneys and our legal staff interview each person who contacts us. We take detailed information about your situation. If there are medical records or other reports or evidence we need to see, we get the client’s permission to get those records. Then we discuss the case and determine if it is a case we can take. If it is, then a retainer agreement is signed with the client.
Q: If Pocrass & De Los Reyes don’t take my case does that mean it’s not a good case?
A: We wish we could help everyone who brought us their case, but we just can’t. There are just too many people seeking assistance. In some cases we may refer you to another attorney who we believe will do a good job for you. But just because we can’t take your case, it doesn’t mean you should not go to other attorneys and offer the case to them. We have taken cases that other attorneys rejected and gotten multi-million dollar verdicts or settlements. And we’re sure there are attorneys who had similar results with cases we turned down.
Q: I’m unhappy with my attorney and would like to talk with a personal injury attorney at Pocrass & De Los Reyes about their representing me. How do I do that?
A: You have the right to be represented by the attorney of your choice, assuming that attorney agrees to represent you. Even if you signed a retainer agreement with an attorney, if you want to change attorneys, in most cases you can. There are forms that must be filled out to notify the court and the defense of such changes. The new attorney you select will assist you with those forms.
Q: I have been referred to Pocrass & De Los Reyes by another attorney. He said you will pay him a referral fee. Does that come out of the money you obtain for me?
A: Never. The California State Bar mandates that referral fees paid to one lawyer by another lawyer may never come out of the client’s percentage of the money. Referral fees can only be paid from the attorney’s percentage.
Q: Are there legal deadlines that can affect my case?
A: Absolutely! These legal deadlines are called statute of limitations. They can be very complicated, so the best thing you can do is to talk to an attorney about your legal issue as soon as possible. If you miss the deadline to file your case, you give up all rights to ever bring action against that wrongdoer over that particular issue.
Contact a personal injury attorney at Pocrass & De Los Reyes for a FREE, no-obligation consultation to discuss your legal issue.