Meeting with a Personal Injury Lawyer: What to Expect
If you have been injured through someone else’s wrongful conduct, you may have a personal injury claim. If you are considering initiating a personal injury case, your first step should be to meet with a personal injury lawyer. Here is what to expect in your initial meeting with your injury lawyer:
Nuts and Bolts
At the base level, an initial meeting or interview with a personal injury lawyer is intended to familiarize your lawyer with your claim, to collect relevant information about your incident, and to help you to understand what the lawsuit process entails. The length of the initial meeting will probably depend on the events that led to your injury. If your case is rather straightforward, the meeting may not last long, while if your personal injury claim involves complicated elements like medical malpractice or toxic exposure, your initial interview may take more time. When you sit down with your lawyer, you will explain the facts of your injury and the circumstances and your lawyer may ask questions.
Questions to Expect from Your Lawyer
Your lawyer, at your initial meeting, will likely ask you about documentation. This may include asking you for permission to view your medical records, asking about insurance information, the identities of any witnesses to your injury, and whether you have discussed your injury or your claim with anyone else. However, you will also have an opportunity to ask questions of your lawyer as well.
Questions to Ask Your Lawyer
At your initial interview with a personal injury lawyer, you should ask your lawyer to explain what representation agreement you will both sign, if any. Your lawyer can also explain his or her fee schedule, what types of costs you should expect, and what sorts of damages might be appropriate in your specific case. You should also ask whether the lawyer intends to take on your case. It is possible that the lawyer may immediately agree to take it; he or she may decline to take the case for a variety of reasons including (but not limited to) his or her caseload, specialties, or opinion of your case; or he or she may ask to consider your case and get back to you later.
Additional Tips
In the process of initiating your personal injury claim, there are a few more guidelines to follow. A personal injury lawyer, once retained, will likely remind you of these tips, but you should follow them even before meeting with an lawyer. Do not talk about your case with others. Remember to ensure that you stay informed of the progress on your case. Refer any of your questions to your lawyer rather than anyone else. And perhaps most importantly, prioritize your health and safety and acquire medical assistance if necessary. In doing so, document any and all information about your claim and the incident.
Getting Started
At Barbas, Nunez, Sanders, Butler & Hovsepian, Lawyers and Counselors at Law, we have experience in a variety of personal injury claims in and around the Tampa Bay area, Sarasota, and Land O’Lakes in Florida. If you are considering filing one, call toll-free at 1 (800) 227-2275 for a consultation.
