Answers to common legal questions

No. All initial consultations are free. And everything you tell us is confidential, even if you never hire us.

Yes. We accept major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.

None at all. All fees are fully disclosed in the attorney agreement.

Yes, we offer affordable payment plans.

Because every case is different, there is no quick test for whether you need a lawyer. Talking to us initially costs nothing. To tell you whether you would benefit from having us work on your case, we need to talk with you about its specifics.

A good rule: if the person telling you that you don’t need an attorney is the other side, you probably do.

We can’t tell you that until we talk to you. We may decide your case is not one we can help with, but we need to talk to you to make that decision. If in doubt, call. It costs you nothing.

No, lawyers cannot guarantee results. We have many years of experience handling litigation, and once we have the evidence needed to value your case, we will tell you our opinion of its value and how we arrived at it. It is your case, not ours, and we want you to be informed.

Any case where you were injured due to the fault (negligence) of someone else is a personal injury case. These include car accidents, slip and falls, dog bites, tractor-trailer accidents and defective products. If you aren’t sure whether you have a personal injury case, contact us and we’ll tell you. It costs you nothing to ask.

A lawsuit is started by filing a Complaint with the court. As the person bringing the lawsuit, you are the plaintiff. The Complaint is served on the defendants with a Summons that requires them to respond to avoid a default. Defendants typically turn the Complaint over to their insurance companies, which hire lawyers to defend the lawsuit. Those lawyers file Answers with the court, and the case proceeds through litigation.

Every case is different, so it is impossible to answer accurately up front. We are thorough because you only get one recovery: if your case settles too quickly and you later discover more severe problems, you cannot go back for more. We handle your case as quickly as we can without jeopardizing your recovery.

No, absolutely not. The insurance adjuster is not on your side. Adjusters are trained to negotiate and they know the law. They are removed from the situation and you are not. Call for professional help.

Despite what you may hear about courts being clogged with personal injury suits, most cases settle. We make a good-faith effort to settle, but if the other side isn’t willing to pay a fair amount on your claim, we will file suit. Even after suit is filed, most cases still settle. If your case has to be tried, we will work with you to make sure you are prepared.