At a time in your life when you can be in a financial bind because you have been injured and unable to work, looking for an attorney will naturally bring about money-related questions. It is perfectly understandable to be in this position, and your attorney will be happy to answer any questions you have. Here is a look at some money-related questions you may have when contacting an auto accident lawyer. 

How much have similar car accidents yielded in the past as far as settlement offers?

Even though it is hard to give you an exact idea of how much of a settlement you will be offered by an insurance company if the case does not go to court, your attorney can give you insight about how much similar cases have yielded in the past. If you are trying to determine if you will be fairly compensated for the damages that you have sustained, this can be helpful information to know. There's never really a guarantee of winning a claim or even getting a settlement, but just seeing what others have been offered can be helpful.

Are there going to be expenses that you will be responsible for through the process?

It is rare, but there can be certain circumstances when there will be expenses relative to filing an auto accident claim that will be your responsibility. A few examples of these expenses include:

• You need to see a specialist regarding your injuries
• You have to pay to get copies of evidence, such as video footage 
• You need to travel to get to hearings, mediation, etc. 

If you are concerned about these expenses, it is a good idea to discuss them with your attorney in advance.

How much will the contingency fee be if you win the case or accept a settlement? 

Attorneys usually charge what is referred to as a contingency fee for their services with personal injury cases. What this actually means is you will only be charged if you actually receive a settlement or win your case. It is an important thing to ask upfront whenever you first begin looking for a car accident attorney how much the contingency fee is that the attorney will charge if the case has a successful outcome. For the fee, 33 percent is a pretty median fee, but the fees can be as low as 25 percent and as high as 40.