Have you recently been involved in a traffic accident, slip and fall, or medical malpractice? As much as you would like to play the nice guy, remember that most times, accidents are the result of negligence or pure disregard for safety by the guilty party. That’s why it’s important to have reliable San Francisco injury lawyers on your side when filing a complaint to the necessary San Francisco authorities.
Most attorneys will offer a free consultation before taking up your case. This gives them time to find out all the facts before working up a solid case. As the client, here are a few pointers on what to expect during the first consultation meeting with an injury lawyer.
How Does a Consultation Work for Personal Injury Cases?
In 2016, preventable deaths rose by 10% in the United States. The three major culprits involved were motor accidents, workplace injuries, and home and community accidents. This means that personal injury cases will continue to be on the rise as long as accidents, malpractices, and carelessness prevail.
So, is it still necessary to consult with an injury lawyer since the cases are quite popular already? Very much so. That initial consultation gives the lawyer an opportunity to ask helpful questions about the accident that occurred. Once the attorney has all the details on the accident, injury, and how it has affected your life, it’s easier to build a concrete case.
That’s basically the whole gist of personal injury case consultations. However, it equally prepares you for hard truths and opens you up to the legal facts that can either make or break the case.
Documents to Bring
The initial consultation is the best time to bring all supporting documents that could help your case. As much as the lawyer needs to know how the incident happened, and how it has affected your life, career, and finances, they also need documented facts. For example, a police report (one of the essential things to get after an accident) would best answer the question of how the incident occurred and what really happened at the scene of the accident. On the other hand, a medical report would explain the severity of the injury, treatments, and costs so far.
It’s the attorney’s duty to cross-check all documents and review them based on his/her experience with similar cases. These documents will equally help to fact-check any claim the client is making.
Important Things to Discuss
A free consultation gives you the opportunity to ask any and every question that pertains to the compensation claim. There’s really no wrong or right conversation to have here, the more the lawyer knows, the better. So don’t hold back when asking questions. However, here’s a guide to the crucial topics to bring up during the consultation.
- What you hope to achieve and your expectations.
- The attorney’s legal experience and performance history.
- Legal strategies.
- The success rate of your case.
- Legal fees.
- Deadlines.
Questions to Expect
The attorney should ask a few questions to gain clarity, gather facts/information, and help prep you for the case. Some of the questions may include:
- When and where did the accident happen?
- What do you remember from the accident?
- Are there any witnesses to the accident?
- What type of injuries did you sustain from the said accident?
- What medical treatment have you received so far?
- Are they any pictures from the scene of the accident?
Questions to Ask
You should ask a San Francisco injury lawyer the following questions:
- Have you handled any similar cases before?
- What kind of verdicts are common with such cases?
- What are your track records with personal injury cases?
- Will I have access to you at any time?
- Will you be handling the case personally?
- How much do you charge and how do you expect to receive payment?
These are the nature of questions you should expect to be asked, and the ones you shouldn’t forget to inquire about. However, feel free to ask more in-depth questions you think will help and inform you more about the legal procedures.
Let Us Assist You With Your Claim
The first few days and weeks after an accident can be very daunting. We understand that adding an injury claim to the pressure, fear, and exhaustion you are feeling can be quite a lot to handle. At this point, you don’t just need all the help you can get, but you deserve it. Our qualified team of San Francisco injury lawyers can help you with that compensation claim case.
We don’t mind meeting with you and learning more about the case. We’ll gather all the details, offer useful tips and advice before coming up with a strategy that will guarantee the best possible outcome.
All our lawyers are board-certified with commendable expertise in compensation cases. This gives us the edge and advantage when crafting the best strategies for compensation cases like yours. Feel free to get in touch with us today, give us a call or fill out the online contact form here.