It’s a situation no one wants to face. You or a loved one were injured in an accident, and you need to seek financial compensation from the responsible party to pay your bills and cover other losses. You know you need to work with a personal injury lawyer, and you found a law firm that offers free consultations.
To prepare for your meeting and get the most out of your experience, you should know what to expect during your free consultation. You’ll want to learn as much as possible about your potential injury claim during this limited time. Preparing in advance will ensure you cover every topic on your mind and learn about your next steps.
What Is the Purpose of a Free Consultation With a Personal Injury Law Firm?
Law firms offer free consultations for many good reasons.
From the potential client’s perspective, this is a great opportunity to:
- Learn more about the legal process,
- Understand what to expect when filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit,
- Explain what happened and discover who might be at fault, and
- Get a good feeling about the legal team they might work with, all without any financial obligation.
Also, following a free consultation, the injured person has no obligation to hire the law firm or do anything further.
From the personal injury law firm’s perspective, a first meeting with an injured individual gives them the chance to:
- Learn what happened and how the potential client was injured
- Answer questions about the incident and explain how they can work together and
- Determine if there is a viable case that they want to accept.
Free consultations are a win-win for everyone and can be the first step to forming a valuable relationship.
How to Prepare for an Initial Free Consultation
Before you meet with an injury law firm, you can take several steps to be prepared and use your time together efficiently. Be sure to gather any related documents and write down any questions that you may have so you don’t forget to ask them during the consultation.
You can also research the law firm to learn more about which areas of law they focus on and how they treat other clients. Be sure to review any case results and client testimonials to see how they have handled similar cases. Understand that any past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in your case, but at least you will know what the legal team is capable of doing.
Also, look for any firm awards or accolades to see how the legal profession acknowledges your potential team. You can also learn about the firm’s history by reading its backstory or specific attorney biographies before your case review meeting.
What 4 Things Will Your Legal Team Need?
You’ll certainly want to provide important information to your legal professionals. Advance organization and preparation can ensure the best use of your time.
Bring the following four things to your free consultation, or have them ready when the time is right:
Relevant Documents
To better understand your unique circumstances, your legal team needs to review all documents related to your case.
Make and bring copies of the following documents to help explain your situation:
- Medical reports, bills, diagnoses, prognoses, and proposed treatment information
- Police reports
- Employment records showing time missed from work and other proof of lost income
- Photographs of the accident scene, vehicles involved, your injuries, and other important details
- Insurance information, including any policies you hold that might apply and any correspondence you have received
- Eyewitness contact information and statements
- Other relevant paperwork
Always make copies that you can leave with the law firm in case they want to take some time to review the documents further. Keep your original documents organized and in a secure place.
Questions, Questions, Questions
The free consultation is your opportunity to ask questions related to your potential injury claim. To ensure you don’t forget anything important, make a list of questions and bring it to the meeting.
While each case is different and may involve different information, here are some general questions you should ask:
- Does the law firm have past experience with your type of injury claim?
- Which lawyer(s) will handle your case, and which staff members will also work on your file?
- How will you communicate about your case (email, phone calls, texts, etc.)
- How often will you hear from your lawyer?
- Does the law firm have past case results similar to your situation?
- How long do they think your case will take to resolve?
- What are the potential outcomes you can expect?
- What is the possible legal strategy?
- Do they anticipate any problems or challenges?
- How long do you have to file a lawsuit if that becomes necessary?
- What form of fee structure will be used in your case?
- What is your role in the legal process, and what is expected of you?
- What are the next steps if you decide to work with this firm?
The key is to encourage open communication and honest discussion, so you know what to expect and whether you want to work with this team. Bringing a personal injury claim can be one of the most important challenges you will face. You want to know you chose the right lawyer and law firm to help you through this difficult time in your life.
Honesty
Most people want to portray themselves in the best light possible, regardless of the true facts. Speak honestly and openly during an initial legal consultation. This is not the time to hold back information or alter important facts.
Your legal team can only begin with the information you provide. Even if some of the details are not flattering to you or could harm your case, legal professionals must know about them from the start.
If both sides are skilled in investigation and discovery processes, the truth will come out. Make sure your law firm is ready to deflect or defend against any potentially damaging information.
Open Mind
You will learn a lot about your potential claim and how the legal process works at the free consultation. You should choose a skilled and experienced law firm that understands what you are facing and is prepared to go to battle for you.
Just as you would not tell a surgeon how to repair a broken bone, you need to trust your chosen legal advocate to handle your case for you with your input.
Bringing a legal claim takes time to gather needed evidence, research relevant laws, and fully digest the details of your unique circumstances. If your case goes to trial, it will take even longer and will require extra preparation and work on your lawyer’s part.
Your advocate will need time to prepare and present the strongest case to protect your best interests. Your entire legal team will appreciate patience on your part. Be sure you understand what to expect before you dive into the personal injury arena.
Berry Law’s Team Provides You With Multiple Attorney Perspectives
Contact the Dedicated Personal Injury Lawyers at Berry Law for Your Free Consultation and to Learn More
After suffering an injury due to someone else’s negligent behavior, you deserve a hard-working, proactive, and protective team of legal professionals fighting for your rights. At Berry Law, we’ve been successfully advocating for our injured clients since 1965.
Call us at (402) 226-5908 or reach out through our online contact form for your free consultation and case review today. We know you’ll come prepared and ready to fight.
