If you’ve been injured in an accident through no fault of your own, then the next logical step is for you to arrange a consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney.
Obviously, ask friends or family members to recommend an attorney first, but failing that you may need to simply strike out and choose one on your own.
But if you’ve never spoken to an attorney before, what exactly should you expect from your initial meeting with one?
1. It’s Confidential
The first thing to understand is that everything you discuss with the attorney is confidential because you are effectively covered by client-attorney privilege during the consultation. This means you can speak your mind freely, without any legal ramifications.
An attorney can be disbarred for breach of this privilege, so they don’t take the matter lightly.
2. It’s A Discovery
Process
Your initial meeting with your personal injury attorney is to allow them to learn as much as they can about you, your background, your injuries, and your expectations.
But it’s also for you to discover if you’ve made the right choice, and that you’re happy to work with this attorney for the foreseeable future.
Consummate legal professionals tend to be able to work with any client, but that’s not always the case, especially if there’s a conflict of interest and/or some type of personality clash.
If, for any reason, you don’t find your attorney implicitly trustworthy, then don’t be afraid to attend several such consultations until you’re comfortable with your choice of legal representation.
3. Be Prepared For Questions
From the attorney’s perspective, it’s important that they learn as much about your case in the shortest possible amount of time. So, based on that, expect a lot of questions as to the exact details of your accident, where and when it happened, the other party involved, the extent of your injuries, how much medical care you’ve received so far, current loss of earnings, etc.
They want to hear your recollection of events to see if you actually have a case, or if there are any “holes” in your story that might concern them.
You should also prepare any questions you might have because this is a two-way process, and 99% of attorneys are more than happy to answer your questions. So spend a few minutes jotting down potential queries the day before your consultation.
4. You Will Need Documentation
Your attorney will ask to see any and all documents you have in relation to your personal injury case, including a police report, photographs of your injuries, your medical records, etc.
They will expect you to have these documents with you because it will be very difficult for them to evaluate your case without them, so do your best to bring as many of these documents as possible with you.
At the conclusion of your consultation the attorney will offer you their advice and insight on the case, and whether or not they\’re happy to take you on as a client. If they are, then you might also be told how much financial compensation you can expect to receive from your personal injury lawsuit.
You can save yourself from going through the “trial and error” process of selecting the best possibly attorney for your needs by simply calling a firm that specializes in personal injury claims.
We look forward to hearing from you.