What to Expect at Your Initial Consultation With a Personal Injury Lawyer
Posted on: August 21, 2023
A severe injury can involve long recovery times, significant pain and suffering, and the inevitable pileup of medical bills waiting to be paid. Anyone in this situation who believes another person’s negligence caused the accident might benefit from an initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer. Some may hesitate because they do not know what to expect, but the process is not intimidating and can provide crucial information about direction.
The fastest way to find a qualified personal injury lawyer is by searching for one online. You can enter a query that includes your city, county, and words like “car accident lawyers.” Then, look over the websites and choose some to contact through a phone call, text, or e-mail inquiry. Some are available 24/7, which is essential because time is of the essence in personal injury cases.
Do not worry about paying a fee for the initial consultation because these appointments are typically free. You need not be concerned about going to the office because setting up a virtual meeting is usually possible. Once your initial contact with the firm is made, expect to get a prompt response about setting up the consultation. If it takes too long, move on to the next firm.
The representative who schedules your appointment may ask you to have certain information at hand during the consultation. This includes documentation like:
- A copy of the police report.
- Any photos were taken at the scene, including the other driver’s contact and insurance information.
- Copies of receipts for any expenses incurred from the accident.
- Employment records if you have lost wages because of the accident.
- Records of the medical treatment received.
- Your automobile and health insurance cards.
What Will Be Discussed at the Initial Consultation?
Bringing up the firm’s fees during the initial consultation is a good idea. Most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency basis, so upfront payments are unnecessary. Instead, their fees are based on a case’s outcome – if a client receives a settlement or verdict that awards them money, the lawyer’s fee will be a percentage; this can vary. There might also be case-related fees separate from the contingency fee to cover court costs, so ask about those.
Do not end the conversation here if you think the contingency fee is high. Your personal injury lawyer should be able to estimate how much your claim is worth, and if there is a way to prove that the allegedly at-fault party was negligent, you might have a strong case worth pursuing. Tell the lawyer what happened, including as many details as possible. They will review the facts and use their experience and knowledge to determine a course of action in your best interests. This is done by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the claim.
Be prepared to answer many questions during the initial consultation, but writing down some of your own before the meeting is wise. You can ask if the lawyer has handled cases similar to yours and how long they have been representing personal injury plaintiffs. Inquire about how long the case might take, who at the firm will be handling it, and what their trial success rate is. If other questions arise during the consultation, please also bring those up.
Our Freehold Car Accident Lawyers at Ellis Law Offer Free Personal Injury Case Consultations
If someone else’s negligence injured you, contact our skilled Freehold car accident lawyers at Ellis Law. Call us at 732-308-0200 or complete our online form to schedule a free consultation. Located in Freehold, New Jersey, we serve clients in Asbury Park, East Brunswick, Toms River, Middletown, Jersey City, Long Branch, Neptune, Hudson County, Union County, Essex County, Monmouth County, Marlboro, and Ocean County, as well as Brooklyn and New York City.
