Most people hire an injury lawyer once, after a crash, while hurting and worried. A short list of questions, asked before you sign anything, tells you most of what you need to know.
Updated October 2026
This page is attorney advertising. It offers general information about Missouri law and is not legal or medical advice for your situation. Reading this page or contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship, which is formed only by a written agreement signed by both you and the firm. Any case results described are specific to the facts of those cases; past results do not guarantee, warrant, or predict a similar outcome in any other matter. Finney Injury Law is licensed to practice law in the State of Missouri. The full disclaimer appears at the bottom of this page.
Advertising does not tell you how a firm will treat your case. The questions below do. A good lawyer will be glad you asked them, and a vague answer to any of them is information too.
Ask them at a free consultation. You should not feel rushed to sign at the first meeting.
Insurers know which firms will go to trial and which will not, and they price claims accordingly. Ask for recent examples, including verdicts from the county where your case would be tried.
Ask who the attorney is, who handles day-to-day questions, and whether an attorney personally reviews the case. Some firms hand cases to people you never meet.
Ask for the fee agreement in writing and read it. Ask what percentage applies, whether it changes if the case goes to trial, and whether case expenses such as records and experts come out before or after the fee.
Ask about injuries and facts similar to yours, not only the largest result the firm has had. A big number in a different kind of case tells you little.
Ask how often you will hear from the firm and who to call with a question. Clear communication is worth asking about before you sign.
A lawyer should be willing to tell you the weaknesses as well as the strengths, and should not promise a result. No lawyer can guarantee an outcome.
In one case, the insurance company said a wrist fracture had healed and made a low offer. A unanimous jury disagreed in 15 minutes and returned $750,000, more than ten times the last offer.
In another, an insurer blamed an active grandmother's age and offered $14,937. A jury returned $2.5 million. Those cases were resolved the way they were because the firm was willing to try them.
Past results do not guarantee a future outcome, and every case depends on its own facts. These are public-record results that show what trial-prepared representation can produce.
The insurance company said the wrist fracture had healed. A unanimous jury disagreed in 15 minutes, at more than 10 times the last offer. Read full story →
An active grandmother was left with permanent chronic neck pain. The insurer blamed her age and offered $14,937. The jury returned $2.5 million. Read full story →
The defense blamed a self-employed mechanic's injuries on pre-existing arthritis and repetitive work. A Jefferson County jury disagreed. Read full story →
Consultations are free, and a good lawyer will not pressure you to sign right away.
Compare the answers, not the advertising.
Pay attention to the percentage, how expenses are handled, and what happens if you change lawyers.
The Missouri Bar and the court system publish licensing information, and it takes a few minutes to check.
Ask whether they try cases and when they last did, who will actually work on your case, how fees and expenses are handled, what similar cases they have handled, how they will keep you informed, and what the risks of your case are. Ask for the fee agreement in writing.
You do not have to. Consultations are free and you can speak to more than one firm. What matters is that you are comfortable with the answers and with who will handle your case. A good lawyer will not rush you.
Ask about recent verdicts, including in the county where your case would be tried. A firm that tries cases will usually be able to describe them and will not be uncomfortable being asked.
No. No lawyer can guarantee a result, and one who does is a reason to be careful. A good lawyer will explain the strengths and weaknesses of your case and the range of possible outcomes.
Generally yes, although the fee agreement may address what the first firm is owed for its work. That is one reason to read the agreement before you sign it.
We handle serious injury and wrongful death cases on a contingency fee, so there is no fee unless we recover for you. The case review is free, and an attorney personally reviews every case.
No cost, no obligation, and nothing is shared outside our firm. We read every message and respond quickly.
The decisions you make in the days after an injury affect your ability to recover fair compensation. Free case review. An attorney personally reviews every case. English- and Spanish-speaking staff available.