Start with the event
Ask whether the fee is contingent, how its percentage is calculated, whether it changes by stage, and what happens if there is no recovery.
Build the record
Separate attorney fees from case expenses. Ask who advances expenses, who ultimately owes them, and how they appear on a closing statement.
Prepare the legal questions
Request a plain-language example showing gross recovery, fees, expenses, liens or other obligations, and the amount paid to the client.
Contact and insurance log
Keep a dated log of reports, claim numbers, requests, responses, appointments, expenses, and decisions. Distinguish what you observed from what another person said or a record states.
Use the file in a consultation
Bring the shortest accurate chronology you can prepare, the most important original records or secure copies, and three questions. A lawyer can identify gaps without requiring you to solve the legal issues first.