Getting injured in a car crash is always unexpected and can be overwhelming in the aftermath, especially when there are so many decisions to make. Getting proper medical care is only the beginning. How do you cover the doctor and hospital costs when the bills start rolling in? Are you eligible for compensation? Do you need an attorney? A free legal consultation may help you to get answers to those questions and more.
Greg Coleman Law explains what a free consultation is, what benefits you can expect from this meeting and how you can prepare to make the most of it.
What Benefits Can a Free Consultation Provide?
When personal injury lawyers offer an initial consultation, your first thought may be to wonder what “strings are attached’ to this meeting. In short, there are none, but there are several benefits for both the potential client and the attorney.
Client Benefits
- Getting answers to your legal questions: This is a client’s best opportunity to get free information and “interview” an attorney before deciding whether to engage his or her services.
- Guarantee of confidential support: You are protected by attorney-client privilege, even in this free initial consultation. Nothing you talk about in this meeting can be shared without your permission, so it is in your best interest to be completely honest about your situation.
- Learning if you may have a valid case: Better to know up front what your legal options are, if any, before spending your hard-earned money.
- No obligation to hire the firm: After spending time with the attorney and gathering free information, there is no obligation to hire his or her services.
The attorney benefits from this free consultation as well. This is the firm’s opportunity to determine whether you may have a case they think they can win. A good lawyer will not waste his time and money, or yours, if they do not believe there is a good chance of obtaining a fair settlement or verdict at the end of the process.
Prepare for Your Free Consultation
This free consultation is your opportunity to ask questions. Essentially, you are interviewing the lawyer, learning about your legal options and determining whether he or she is a good fit.
Preparing for this meeting requires a little bit of effort on your part, so if you are going to make it worth your while:
Prepare Questions to Ask the Attorney
We do not recommend going into a consultation without preparing and writing down the questions you want to ask. You can, of course, ask questions later, if you hire the attorney, but then it will cost you money for his or her time.
Common questions to get you started include:
- What are your costs and when do I pay you?
- Do I have to pay a retainer fee to hire your services?
- Are you the attorney who will be assigned to my case?
- Have you handled any cases like mine? How many? What results did you get?
- Do you have experience as a trial attorney if a settlement cannot be reached?
- What possible outcomes should I expect?
Prepare Documents Related to Your Accident
Relevant documents include anything related to your car crash, such as a police or accident report, photos of your injuries and the accident scene, witness statements or video footage. Having as many of these items at your consultation as possible allows your attorney to gain a better understanding of how your accident happened.
Prepare to Listen to the Attorney
Take notes during this meeting to help you remember more details about what was discussed. Additionally, if your lawyer offers you legal advice, such as not posting on social media about your accident, it is because he or she knows it could damage your claim. If you hire an attorney to represent your claim, we strongly recommend following their recommendations to help ensure the best possible outcome.
Prepare to Carefully Review Any Documents Before Signing
If you decide you want to pursue a claim and we agree to represent you, there are documents you will need to sign. This protects you and the attorney. Your attorney is required to fully explain every aspect of these documents. In short, do not put your signature on anything you do not understand.
Prepare Storage for All Documents Related to Your Accident
Keep accurate records of every document related to your accident. This includes medical records, hospital or doctor bills, gas receipts for traveling to and from medical appointments, police or accident reports, doctor’s notes, and yes, any attorney-client documents as well.
Schedule Your Free Legal Consultation Today
The Knoxville auto accident lawyers at Greg Coleman Law have representatives who are ready to take your call anytime, day or night. Take steps to learn if you may have a valid case by scheduling your free, no-obligation case today. We charge nothing up front and do not get paid unless you do.
We help injured victims understand their legal options: (865) 247-0080
