Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Denver Car Accident Lawyer

The free consultation is your interview of the firm. These are the questions that reveal whether a firm will actually fight for your Denver car accident case.

By Adam Fonta, Lionheart Injury Law  |  Updated June 15, 2026  |  5-minute read

The free consultation is your interview, and the lawyer is the one being interviewed. Most people walk into it unsure what to ask, and end up choosing based on a gut feeling or a familiar name from an ad. A handful of pointed questions will tell you far more about whether a firm will actually fight for your car accident recovery. Here are the ones that matter, and what a good answer sounds like.

Questions About Trial Experience

"When did your firm last take a case to trial, and what happened?"

This is the most revealing question you can ask. Most cases settle, but they settle for more when the lawyer is genuinely willing to try them, because the insurer's offer is a bet on what a jury would do. A firm that tries cases can answer with specifics. A firm that settles everything will change the subject.

"What is the largest verdict your firm has won at trial?"

Verdicts, not just settlements, show a firm that goes the distance. A firm that wins at trial is a firm insurers take seriously.

"If the insurance company won't pay fairly, are you prepared to file a lawsuit and take my case to court?"

Listen for confidence and specifics, not vague reassurance.

Questions About Who Handles Your Case

"Will I work directly with an attorney, and who specifically will handle my case?"

At many high-volume firms, the lawyer from the ad is a marketer, and your file is run by case managers you may never meet. Research on these firms found many clients speak to an actual attorney only once, if ever. You want to know, before you sign, who will really be doing the work.

"How will we communicate, and how quickly will I get a call back?"

A firm that is slow to respond while courting you will not get faster after you sign.

"Can I meet the attorney who will handle my case?"

If the answer is evasive, that tells you something.

Questions About Experience and Results

"How many cases like mine have you handled in the last few years, and how did they turn out?"

Relevant experience beats general experience. You want a firm that knows the playbook for your specific type of crash and injury.

"Do you consistently beat the insurance company's first offer, and by how much?"

The opening offer is almost always low. You want a firm with a pattern of recovering substantially more, while understanding that past results never guarantee a future outcome.

Questions About Resources

"Do you have the resources to fund my case against the insurance company?"

Serious cases require expert witnesses, accident reconstruction, and more. Ask whether the firm advances these costs (it should) and whether it has the means to fight a well-funded insurer all the way.

"How many lawyers are at your firm, and how many will work on my case?"

You are looking for enough attention and capacity for your case, not a number on a wall.

Questions About Fees and Costs

"What is your fee, and is it different if the case goes to litigation or trial?"

Most injury lawyers charge a contingency fee, no fee unless they win, commonly around a third, often rising if a lawsuit is filed. Get the percentages in writing.

"What case costs come out of my recovery, and are they separate from your fee?"

Costs (filing fees, experts, records) are separate from the attorney's fee. Understand how they work and whether they are deducted before or after the fee.

"What do I owe if we don't win?"

In a typical contingency arrangement, the answer should be nothing in attorney fees, and many firms also absorb the advanced costs on a loss, but confirm it.

Questions About Your Specific Case

"What do you think my case is worth, and what will drive that value?"

No honest lawyer will promise a number early, but they should be able to explain the factors, severity, permanence, liability, available insurance, and give you a realistic framework.

"What are the deadlines and next steps in my case?"

A good lawyer can immediately flag the statute of limitations (three years for most Colorado crash claims) and outline what happens next.

A Few Practical Questions People Forget

  • "Have you handled cases against this insurance company before?"
  • "Will you help me get medical treatment if I don't have health insurance?" (Many firms can arrange care on a lien.)
  • "How long do you expect my case to take?"
  • "Can you explain the process without the legal jargon?"

What the Answers Tell You

Pay attention not just to what a firm answers, but how. A firm that is built to fight for serious cases will welcome these questions and answer them directly and specifically. A firm built to move volume will deflect, generalize, or steer you back to signing. The consultation is free and you can talk to more than one firm, use that to your advantage.

At Lionheart, we welcome every one of these questions, because the answers are exactly what set us apart: we prepare each case for trial from day one, we take fewer cases so you work directly with your attorney, and we consistently recover well beyond the insurance company's first offer. However you decide, ask the hard questions first, the right firm will have real answers.

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