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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


Update: September 2009

Welcome. If there's a question we don't address here, contact The DiCello Firm to resolve any other questions you might have.


DICELLO FIRM FAQ LIST:
COST OF TALKING WITH DICELLO FIRM
IS HELP FROM THE DICELLO FIRM AFFORDABLE
GETTING STARTED: HOW TO
HOW LONG WILL THE CASE TAKE
WHEN DOES THE CASE NEED TO BE BROUGHT
WHAT IS THE CASE WORTH
THE LAWYERS' REPUTATION
WILL THE FIRM HANDLE THIS CASE
WILL SETTLEMENT BE EASY
HOW THE CLIENT HELPS
WHAT IS THIS WEBSITE FOR?
OTHER QUESTIONS?

COST OF TALKING WITH DICELLO FIRM LAWYER

First-time consultations, case reviews, or other case evaluations are FREE. Repeat visits may or may not be billed. Contact The DiCello Firm to find out about FREE consultations. 


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IS HELP FROM THE DICELLO FIRM AFFORDABLE

 The DiCello Firm is dedicated to ensuring that anyone wishing to have access to their services can do so without having to spend thousands of dollars out-of-pocket. How do they do that? Often, the Firm employs contingency fee agreements where they take a percentage of any recovery that is generated by settlement or trial verdict. In some cases, they also accept partial payments or payments over time. To find out more go to The DiCello Firm Fees Page.  


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GETTING STARTED: HOW TO

Here's seven steps that can be taken to start the process of hiring and working with an attorney:

  1. Organize any documents, notes, or other materials related to your legal problem - don't ignore important documents, notices, or other issues and expect someone else will take care of things later.

  2. If your (or someone else's) medical care is at issue, seek treatment immediately - health and welfare come first.

  3. Contact an attorney. First meetings or consultations will often be free, and remember - you are hiring the lawyer to help you through your legal problem. You do the hiring. He or she does the advising. Seek a lawyer you can talk to, understand, and feel good about.

  4. Ask a lot of questions. During the first meeting, don't just sit back and accept answers you don't understand. Lawyers are trained to communicate in court. The best ones communicate well in person and in court.

  5. Have realistic expectations. If anyone tells you your case is worth something before they've researched it, prepared it, and brought it to court, run - don't walk - out of their office. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Representation by any lawyer is never a guarantee that a specific result will be achieved.

  6. Take care of emotional issues. If you or someone you care about is under a lot of psychological or emotional pain, seek professional counseling immediately. Lawyers are best able to help when the client is taking care of their emotional needs.

  7. Approach this process with integrity. Always remember: the court room is not the place for vindictiveness or other abuses. Never hire a lawyer to simply hurt someone. Don't bring a case unless your reasons are honest, true, and justified.

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HOW LONG WILL THE CASE TAKE

 There is no easy answer here. Cases can take months or years to resolve. Again, unless you have reasons to believe otherwise, beware of those who tell you "this will be over in no time." The key is: there's a balancing act that a client needs to deal with. It is important that a client is proactive and aware. On the other hand, a client needs to understand that courts (and the attorneys) have limited resources and availability. It may take time to resolve your case.


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WHEN DOES THE CASE NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO COURT

Under federal and state law, every case has a time period during which it must be brought to court. This is called "commencing an action." The time for commencing an action requires a careful analysis by qualified counsel. If you've got concerns about when a case needs to be commenced, contact The DiCello Firm.


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WHAT IS THE CASE WORTH

 The short answer: no one knows until the case is settled or won at trial. There is no simple formula or quick answer. And beware of those who say otherwise. The art of legal representation involves the art - not the science - of valuing a case. Generally, the biggest factor regarding case value is damages. "Damages" are the items of loss that a person suffers as a result of another person's wrongdoing. Where a person has long-lasting, permanent physical damage, or where a person has lost a lot of out-of-pocket or financial resources or earning potential, the case will tend to have greater value.  Where a person has temporary physical loss or a small amount of out-of-pocket loss or lost income or wages, the case will tend to have less value. Again: these are only general rules that do not relate to any specific case you may or may not have.


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THE LAWYERS' REPUTATION

 A lawyer or law firm's reputation means everything to the client and to the court. No one wants to work with (or listen to) an attorney who is unreasonable, dishonest, or otherwise has a bad, shark-like reputation. At The DiCello Firm, the lawyers are not expected to be "sharks." They're expected to be courteous, ethical, zealous representatives of their clients. They are called to live up to the highest standards of advocacy, and to do the right thing - even when that is the more difficult approach to take.


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WILL THE FIRM HANDLE THIS CASE

 The DiCello Firm handles:
  1. Cases where someone is injured physically by a car accident, trucking accident, medical mistake, or product.
  2. Disputes involving someone's estate, will, trust, or guardianship.
  3. Tragedies where multiple people are injured or killed by a single product, act, or wrongdoer.
  4. On a case-by-case basis: criminal defense, business litigation, and police misconduct matters.

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WILL SETTLEMENT BE EASY

 The process of settling a case is rather detailed. Lawyers don't just sign up cases and receive checks from wrongdoers or their insurance companies. Vast amounts of information needs to organized and presented to the wrongdoer, it's insurance company or it's lawyers. The negotiations take place. This process can take months, as the parties comb through the information and discuss a resolution. The process concludes with The DiCello Firm staff is trained in that process.


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HOW THE CLIENT HELPS

 This web site is not a "solicitation" for business as that term is defined and used in the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct. Furthermore, The DiCello Firm does not and will not express any predetermined evaluation of the merits of any case brought to the attention of The DiCello Firm by anyone who visits this website online.  The evaluation of a case is very fact-specific and will not be done on line. However, anyone interested in meeting with a DiCello Firm attorney may do so by contacting the Firm at the Contact page of this site.  


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Disclaimers: What is This Website For

 This website is for general information and advertising purposes only. It is not a "solicitation" for business as that term is defined and used in the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct. Furthermore, The DiCello Firm does not and will not express any predetermined evaluation of the merits of any case brought to the attention of The DiCello Firm by anyone who visits this website online.  The evaluation of a case is very fact-specific and will not be done on line. However, anyone interested in meeting with a DiCello Firm attorney may do so by contacting the Firm at the Contact page of this site.  


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Questions

 If you have questions about this Advertisement Disclaimer, or this Web site, go to the  "Contact" portion of this site and contact the Firm.  If you are having technical difficulties or are otherwise unable to view the content of the "Contact" section, send your comments to the Firm at:

Phone:  (888) 778-8880

Regular Mail:   
The DiCello Firm
c/o Web Site Privacy Question
Western Reserve Law Building
7556 Mentor Ave.   
Mentor, Ohio 44060