A checklist for your first meeting

What Questions Should I Ask My Car Accident Attorney?

By Miller & Jacobs Accident Attorneys

Ask who will handle your case, what still needs to be checked, how fees and costs work, and how you will stay informed. Before hiring a lawyer, you should understand the plan, your role, and the terms in writing.

Use this checklist at a meeting with a Pembroke Pines car accident lawyer. Ask for answers tied to your facts, rather than a promised payout or a fixed finish date.

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Questions about the lawyer and your case

Start with what you need help with. Ask whether an insurance claim or a lawsuit fits your facts. Hiring a lawyer does not mean that every case must go to court.

1. What experience fits my situation?

Ask about work on cases with similar injuries, disputed facts, or insurance issues. Our car accident evidence guide can help you identify records to discuss. Ask what the lawyer would need to learn about your crash.

Past results do not predict your result. A useful answer explains the work involved and the limits of any comparison, rather than just a success rate.

2. What can you assess now, and what is still unknown?

Ask which facts support your claim, which facts are disputed, and which records are missing. If you ask about value, ask what information a fair estimate would need. An early number should not be treated as a promise.

3. What should happen next, and which dates matter?

Ask for the next steps and what could delay them. Also ask which filing and notice dates apply to your case. Our guide to Florida car accident filing deadlines explains why the type of claim and its dates matter.

A plan should leave room for new facts, needed records, and changes in your care. Ask when the lawyer will review the plan with you again.

4. Who will handle my case?

Ask for the lead lawyer's name and the roles of other lawyers and staff. Find out who gives legal advice, who sends updates, and whom to call with a problem. If another firm may join or receive the case, ask how that affects the agreement.

5. How will we keep in touch?

Agree on how to reach the team, when to expect updates, and how to raise an urgent concern. Ask what you should send in and how to send it safely. Florida's Rule 4-1.4 requires reasonable updates and responses to reasonable requests for information.

6. What are my options, and who decides on settlement?

Ask what would make a lawsuit worth considering, what other paths may fit, and what each path could cost. Under Rule 4-1.2(a), the decision whether to accept a settlement is yours. Ask how the lawyer will explain an offer, its risks, and any release before you decide.

Fees and costs: questions before you sign

A contingency fee is an attorney fee tied to a recovery. Case costs, such as records, expert work, and filing fees, are separate. No recovery and no attorney fee does not necessarily mean you owe no costs. The Florida Bar's fee guide explains this difference.

What rate applies, and what could change it?

Ask for the agreed percentages for settlement, trial, and appeal. Rates can be negotiated within Florida's rules. The fee standards use recovery tiers and case stages. The stage change involves a filed answer, a demand to appoint arbitrators, or the deadline for either; filing suit alone is not the trigger. Ask how the tiers, exceptions, and any appeal would affect your agreement.

How does the written agreement treat costs?

Florida contingency contracts must state the fee method, expenses, and whether costs come off before or after the fee is calculated. The client and participating lawyers or firms must sign. You also sign a statement of client rights and keep a signed copy. See Rule 4-1.5(f).

Ask: Do I need a cost deposit? Who advances expenses? Will I owe costs if there is no recovery? How will I approve spending? Ask the lawyer to show how fees, costs, and other payments would affect the amount you receive.

What if I change my mind?

For these contracts, written cancellation within three business days of signing avoids attorney fees for that period. You may still owe reasonable sums the lawyer advanced to others for you. Ask how to give notice and keep proof. Later cancellation can raise different fee issues. See Rule 4-1.5(f)(4)(A).

What to bring to the first meeting

Bring your claim and payment records, including any offer or release. Ask which missing items the team can help obtain. Do not wait for a perfect file if you already have a time-sensitive notice.

The crash and claim file

The crash date, report number, photos, witness details, and a short account of what happened.

Insurance policies, claim numbers, letters, emails, and any proposed settlement or release.

Care, work, and your concerns

Medical records and bills you have, details of missed work, and a list of your questions.

Any fee contract you already signed and the names of lawyers or firms you have spoken with.

Write down requests from the insurer and ask who will respond. If you have a brain injury, ask how the team will handle your specific needs. Our TBI insurance article explains how to respond to disputed coverage, treatment or loss questions.

Before leaving, ask who does what next, when you will hear back, and what you need to send. Keep copies of the terms and your notes.

Bring your questions

Discuss the plan with Miller & Jacobs

The team at Miller & Jacobs can discuss your crash and the help you are seeking. Ask who would handle the matter and how the proposed agreement treats fees and costs.

Call (877)848-5297 to arrange a meeting. Have your crash date, claim details, and main questions ready.

Before you choose a lawyer

Does a contingency fee mean no upfront costs?

No. The attorney fee and case expenses are different. Whether a deposit is required, who advances costs, and what you owe without a recovery depend on the agreement. Ask for those terms in writing before signing.

Do I need to bring every record before we meet?

Bring what you have and ask what else is needed. Tell the lawyer about any offer, notice, or upcoming date. Missing paperwork should be raised at the meeting, rather than treated as a reason to ignore a deadline.

Should I wait until treatment ends to ask about filing dates?

No. Ask for a deadline review based on your crash, claim, and circumstances before waiting for treatment to end or for a final offer. See our Florida car accident deadline guide and have your own dates checked.

What should I ask when arranging the meeting?

Contact the firm to ask who you will meet, whether the meeting has a charge, what to bring, and how to send records. A meeting and an agreement to represent you are separate steps.

Speak With Our Car Accident Lawyers

Mark J. Miller, Partner

Rick S. Jacobs, Partner

Call 954-465-8733 Schedule a Free Consultation