DiCello Law Firm FAQ List:

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Does The DiCello Law Firm have a good 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 reputation. The DiCello Law Firm is one of the most respected lawfirms in Ohio and across the country. There, the lawyers are expected to be good people, not "sharks." They're expected to be courteous, ethical, zealous representatives of their clients. They're also expected to win. They are called upon 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.

What will it cost me to talk with someone at The DiCello Law Firm?

It costs nothing initially to talk to us. First-time consultations, case reviews, or other case evaluations are FREE. Repeat visits may or may not be billed. Contact The DiCello Law Firm to find out about FREE consultations.

Is help from The DiDello Law Firm affordable?

Yes. You don't need a big bank account to get justice. The DiCello Law Firm is dedicated to ensuring that anyone wishing to have access to the court system 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.

Getting started: how do I do this?

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

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.
If your (or someone else's) medical care is at issue, seek treatment immediately - health and welfare come first.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Approach this process with integrity. Always remember: the courtroom 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.

When does my 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 or filed, contact The DiCello Law Firm.

How long will my 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." It is important that a client is proactive and aware. A client needs to understand that courts (and the attorneys) have limited resources and availability. It may take time to resolve your case.

What is my case worth?

A federal judge recently said, "today, a client really pays a lawyer to evaluate their case - and that knowledge is priceless." Still, until it is settled or won at trial, no one can say with certainty what your case is worth. 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. And you're in luck if you've chosen to work with The DiCello Law Firm, because the lawyers there know how to evaluate the worth of a case.

That said, there are some very general guidelines you can follow to give yourself an initial sense of the value of your case. First, add up your damages. 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.

So, take all of your out-of-pocket expenses and bills you've incurred and add them up. Then, consider things like the "value" of your pain and suffering. Or, if someone has lied to you or otherwise cheated or betrayed you, consider what that intangible loss is worth. Finally, add the out-of-pocket numbers to the estimated value of your intagible loss (pain and suffering) and you get a sense of the value of your case.

As you can see, it's difficult to put a dollar figure on someone's pain, harm, or suffering. When doing your evaluation, just use your best judgment. Be fair - not greedy. And remember, in civil court, the only justice the courts can give is "money justice." If you have been unjustly treated, then you probably deserve all the justice (money) that the system can give. Therefore, the thing to do is find a lawyer who can help you get full justice. Because, in the end, it's not the money, it's the fairness and justice you get by going to court and winning that really counts.

Will the firm handle my case?

The DiCello Law Firm handles:

Cases that have merit;
Cases involving personal injury: physical or emotional injury, suffering, and pain caused by trucking accidents, excessive force by the police, medical mistakes, auto accidents, will disputes, and mass torts;
Cases where the client understands that this process is about justice, not money;
Cases where The Firm believes a jury will want to help bring fairness and justice to an unfairly treated victim;
Cases where the money won in the pursuit of justice will be put to good and valuable use.

Will my case settle or go to trial?

Once a case is filed, it often takes on a life of its own. Circumstances dictate whether it will settle or go to trial - and these are circumstances that are often unknown or beyond anyone's control when the case is first filed. 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 be organized and presented to the wrongdoer, its insurance company or its 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 Law Firm staff is trained in that process.

If I win or settle, where does the money come from?

The vast majority of the time, insurance companies pay the verdicts and settlements. In certain rare cases, however, the wrongdoing person or company has sufficient individual wealth to pay the award or settlement.

How will you be able to know if insurance is involved to cover the loss? Well, there's no easy way. The recommendation is, get an investigator to see if the person who did the wrongdoing is insured. The judge won't let you find out in court. In fact, the mere mentioning of "insurance" in a courtroom/trial setting is prohibited. The reason? If the jury knew that insurance was paying, instead of the wrongdoer, then the jury might be inclined to give more money to the injured person, because it's not coming out of the pocket of the wrongdoer. It's a little known fact that when a person is sued for their wrongdoing, virtually all the money comes from insurance and they never have to pay for the verdict themselves.

How can I help this process?

Stay in contact with your attorney. Make sure to tell your attorney the full story. This will help in the evaluation of your case, and it will often determine if your case is worth going to trial. Also, have reasonable expectations. There are no quick solutions. There are no easy answers. The process of going to court is often difficult. So, take care of yourself, your family, and your friends as you work through your search for justice.

Focus on what's really important - the person that is hurting. This is the top priority, because the fight for justice is often painful, long, and emotionally costly. Having to re-live tragedy through testimony is not easy. And the frustration of court room decisions can be infuriating. Please make an effort to visit with counselors, friends, family members, or others who can be supportive. If you know someone whose life has been harmed by the wrongdoing of someone else, support them or their family, and do your part to be a positive reminder that, in the end, all we have is each other. Take some time to think about what is really important (and you'll find it's not the money). Then, contact a good lawyer. But whatever you do, don't be afraid to fight for what's right.

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 Law Firm does not and will not express any predetermined evaluation of the merits of any case brought to the attention of The DiCello Law 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 Law Firm attorney may do so by contacting the Firm at the Contact page of this site.

888-778-8880 or 440-953-8888