Basics of a personal injury consultation
by Benjamin Treviño | June 9th, 2023 | Blog, Workers Compensation Claim
Personal injury cases generally begin with an initial consultation between a personal injury attorney and a prospective client. The purpose of the initial meeting is to evaluate the merits of the case, and to determine if the attorney is in a position to represent the injured person’s claim either in court or through the negotiations process.
Initial consultations can take place in person or by telephone. However, signing a retainer agreement and opening a claim file might require an in-person meeting. Accommodations can be made when a visit to the attorney’s office is not feasible.
Topics of discussion
Personal injury attorneys will have a lot of questions for the client. They’ll want to know how the incident in question occurred, the injuries involved, and any medical treatment that has been rendered up to that point.
The attorney will also want to get a general understanding of what treatment will be needed in the future. Clients should expect to answer a lot of questions, and potentially produce documents or records during the initial consultation phase.
Documents to bring
The potential client should bring with them anything that they think is important to the case. This can include a police report and medical records. The need for any other documents will depend on the individual case.
The attorney will review the documents and records to evaluate them based upon his or her experience, and use the documents in order to evaluate the claim and advise the potential client accordingly.
The attorney’s investigation
Attorneys will always conduct their own investigation. The extent of the probe will depend on the nature of the claim. If there is a question of liability, the attorney will try to determine who was at fault, and to what degree.
The attorney might seek witnesses to determine how the incident occurred, and he or she might consult with a medical professional to assess the extent of the injury that was sustained.
Contact the J. Gonzalez Law Firm
At the J. Gonzalez Law Firm, the initial consultation is always free, and you are under no obligation to sign a retainer if you don’t want to. If we agree to work with each other, you pay nothing unless we satisfactorily settle your claim, or win your case in court. To find out if we can help you with your personal injury claim, call us today at 1-800-CAR-CRASH.
