FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Yes.  Typically we conduct a free initial telephone consultation and then, where appropriate, we follow up with an additional free in-person consultation.

Yes.  Whether you hire us or not, our consultations are always 100% confidential.

You will never pay us out of your own pocket.  We work on a “contingency fee” basis.  This means that we do not get paid unless we obtain a settlement, jury verdict or some other form of compensation for you.  In the event that we do, we take a percentage of that compensation as our payment.  That percentage varies from case to case, but typically it ranges from 25% to 40%.  We consider this the most honest way to do business because we do not get paid unless we succeed on your behalf.

Yes.  If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you should hire a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your accident.  There are several reasons for this.  First, your attorney will take over communication with the other party and his/her insurance carrier so that you can focus on getting better.  Your attorney will also work to secure vital evidence that may otherwise be destroyed or disappear if you delay in hiring one.  In addition, an experienced personal injury attorney will provide valuable advice to help you navigate your way through the often-overwhelming maze of doctors and other healthcare providers on your way to recovery.  Finally, every case has a time limit.  This is commonly known as a statute of limitations or “limitations period."   If you do not file suit within the applicable limitations period, you will likely be legally precluded from pursuing a claim in court thereafter.  Hiring an attorney as soon as possible, and within the limitations period, will ensure that your lawsuit is timely filed and preserve your right to pursue your claim in court if necessary.

No!  In most instances the other party’s insurance company will contact you within days after your accident and it is common for them to request that you provide a recorded statement.  This often proves problematic for the injured party because they are in a great deal of pain, may be disoriented or medicated, and generally are not prepared to accurately provide information regarding the accident and their injuries.  For this reason, it is typically advised that you refrain from speaking with the other party’s insurance company until you have hired your own attorney.  From that point, your attorney will handle communication with the insurance company so that you can focus on recovering.  Remember, you are not obligated to provide a statement to the other party’s insurance company and in fact you are not even required to speak with them at all.

At the outset of a personal injury or wrongful death claim, it is virtually impossible to estimate the value of the case with any meaningful accuracy.  This is because there is usually not enough information available in the beginning.  The value of most personal injury and wrongful death claims is typically determined based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the strength of the evidence establishing the other party’s fault, the nature and extent of the claimant’s injuries, the amount of the claimant’s past and future medical expenses and the amount of the claimant’s past and future wage loss.  As your claim proceeds and this information is gathered, your attorney should be better equipped to estimate a value range for your case.  However, you should be aware that it is never possible to put an exact value on a personal injury or wrongful death case because it is impossible to predict with 100% certainty exactly how a jury may decide your case.

Absolutely.  All of our personal injury and wrongful death clients are provided with Mr. Osborn’s personal contact information and encouraged to contact him whenever necessary, including weekends and any time, day or night, during the work week.  Unlike many other firms, we are highly selective in the cases we take on so that we can give each of our active cases the attention they deserve.  One of the things that sets us apart is the unprecedented access our clients have to their attorney.  You will never have to fight through an army of paralegals, secretaries or junior attorneys to get to Mr. Osborn.  Mr. Osborn will handle your case personally and will always be just a phone call away.