FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS – ABOUT MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISIONS
Joannes Law Firm
Frequently Asked Questions:
What happens when I contact Joannes Law Firm, LLC about my case?
Each prospective case is immediately evaluated by an attorney in our firm for liability and damages. Injured persons should consult an attorney as soon as possible after their injury, before evidence is lost and witnesses' memories fade. The call to our office and initial consultation are FREE.
What are our attorneys' fees?
Our firm typically handles its personal injury cases on a "contingency" basis. Under this system, we earn attorneys' fees only if your case is successfully resolved. If your case fails to earn a settlement or loses at trial, then you owe us no attorneys' fees. On every case we provide our clients with DISCOUNT attorneys' fees off traditional attorneys' fees. For example, attorneys' fees for basic automobile personal injury claims are traditionally 33 1/3%. We charge a fee of 25% if your case is settled before a lawsuit us started, and, 30% after a lawsuit is filed. We never charge 33 1/3%, which is a 10% less (if a lawsuit is started) or 25 less% (if a case is settled before a lawsuit) from the 33 1/3% fee. Our DISCOUNT FEE means more money to you. Note, we always offer you two (2) ways we will handle your case. The first is on a contingent basis. The second way we will handle yours case is on an hourly basis. This means you will pay our hourly fee for work performed on your case. If there is no successful resolution of your case or we lose at trial, you must still pay for the time we expended on your behalf.
What is my case worth?
This is a difficult question to answer, as each client has different collision-related damages. Essentially, case value is based on two dependent factors, Liability and Damages. Liability is who is at fault for the collision. Liability is comparative in Wisconsin. Damages equate to the total losses that you have incurred or will incur in the future as a direct result of the collision; including pain and suffering, lost wages and medical bills. Remember, if a settlement is not reached and your case goes to trial, your case is worth whatever a jury decides and awards.
How much time do I have to file a lawsuit in the State of Wisconsin?
In Wisconsin, your statute of limitations may be as short as 120 days from the date of your collision. This extremely short statute of limitations occurs if any part of your claim involves any governmental entity. In most cases, personal injury claims are subject to a three (3) year statute of limitations. If you fail to resolve your claim or fail to file a lawsuit by your statute of limitations date, you will be time barred from proceeding with your claim. You should consult an attorney immediately after a collision to make sure all your interests are adequately protected. Remember we offer free initial consultations.
Back to top
Please Note: The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. This has been prepared by Joannes Law Firm, LLC, for informational purposes only. We do not intend to create an attorney-client relationship between our firm and the recipient of the information contained on any pages. You should consult an attorney for individual advice regarding your situation
Please read our Disclaimer
