Motorcycle accidents can happen at any time and often with disastrous results. If you or someone you know has been hurt in a motorcycle accident, the best action you can take is to seek an experienced attorney who specializes in motorcycle lawsuits.

When searching for a lawyer to handle your motorcycle accident case, it’s important to do your research and ask the right questions. You need to feel comfortable with, and confident in, the attorney you ultimately choose to help you reach the outcome you desire. Asking the right questions will help you determine which motorcycle accident lawyer is right for you.

Here are five essential questions that can help you make this decision:

Question #1: Do you offer a free initial consultation?

One of the first questions to ask when looking for an attorney to represent you is whether the law firm provides a free initial consultation.

The initial consultation is a time for you to carefully explain the facts of the accident to the attorney and for the attorney to help you understand your rights and what steps you can and should take next.

Legal fees are not cheap and you want to make sure that you can meet with the attorney for free before committing to the firm and facing what may be a substantial bill. You will feel more comfortable at that initial meeting knowing you are not being charged and will feel free to ask more questions that will help you make your decision.

Question #2: Do you have experience riding motorcycles?

You may want to ask a potential motorcycle accident lawyer is if he or she has any first-hand experience riding motorcycles.

Only a small percentage of the population rides motorcycles. An attorney who is knowledgeable and has first-hand experience riding motorcycles will have a better perspective of your case, enabling him or her to help you better fight for what you need.

Question #3: Do you specialize in handling motorcycle accident cases?

You need an attorney with experience in motorcycle accident cases, one that knows how to hire the right experts to win your case. An attorney who handles only auto cases, for example, will probably not be familiar with where to find the right experts that are needed to help you win your motorcycle case.

Motorcycle cases are tougher to win than other vehicle accident cases, especially if your attorney does not know how to win them.

Question #4: What are the main goals to achieve?

Another question to ask when interviewing potential accident attorneys is what their main goals would be if you were to hire them.

A good answer includes that they will seek to reduce your medical bills in order to avoid your going into major debt over the cost of recovery. High medical bills left unpaid can force you into bankruptcy or cause collection agencies to come after you.

The attorney should also help you receive fair compensation for injuries suffered by working with the insurance company of the defendant.

Question #5: How much compensation can I expect?

While discussing goals of the case, you should also inquire as to how much compensation you can expect to be awarded.

The attorney you hire should be aggressive in getting you the compensation you deserve for all past, current and future medical bills, lost wages from not being able to work as well as compensation for pain and suffering.

Question #6: Do you work on contingency?

Finally, ask your potential lawyer if he or she works on a contingency basis.

Some law firms require payment whether they win or lose your case. This is a big risk for you to take as you could face financial ruin with the addition of high legal bills to all your medical costs and lost wages.

With contingency fee basis, you pay nothing to the lawyer unless you receive compensation. This means that only if your attorney wins your case and you are awarded compensation does the attorney receive a percentage of your award, which percentage will have been previously agreed upon. Contingency fee basis provides the attorney with a bigger incentive to win your case since he or she will only get paid if successful.

Our firm always works on contingency in motorcycle accident cases. We bear the risks of the litigation—If we don’t win, we don’t get paid and it’s us who lose the costs, not you.

Making sure to ask the right questions will help you get the best legal help for your case. Be sure to keep the above questions in mind as you interview and decide which motorcycle accident lawyer is right for you.