What Should You Expect In Your First Meeting With A Personal Injury Attorney?

When you contact a personal injury attorney to set up a consultation, you might wonder what will happen at your initial meeting. First meetings with an attorney are generally to go over important information related to your accident and resulting injuries. Your personal injury attorney will ask questions and look at any information and documents that he or she asked you to bring to the meeting. Your attorney should also give you a chance to discuss any questions that you have related to your case and the legal process.

Discussing Your Case

Depending on the type of event or accident that you were involved in, certain facts and circumstances will need to be examined, especially those that will help to prove that someone else was responsible for your injuries. You should expect your attorney to ask you to describe the accident you were involved in and whether there were people who witnessed your accident.    If you have any documentation related to your case, you should bring that, even if you think it is not important, so that your attorney can review it. 

Talking About Your Injuries

Your attorney will also want to discuss your injuries, how they happened, how you feel, and whether or not you sought medical treatment. It will be necessary to describe how your injuries have impacted your ability to work and participate in other regular daily activities, as well as if and how your injuries have led to your emotional or financial distress. 

Your attorney may recommend that you seek medical attention for an examination and evaluation of your injuries. This may be necessary to fully understand your injuries and how they may impact you in the future, especially if you are expected to require long-term medical treatment. 

Going Over The Legal Process

You might have a lot of questions about the legal process and what you should expect. Even if you don’t have questions, your attorney should go over some things with you, such as potential case strategies, preparing you for depositions, insurance company negotiations, and other important information related to your case progression. 

Potential Compensation For Your Injuries And Damages

You and your attorney will discuss your injuries because, as mentioned above, it is critical to fully understand your injuries and how they are likely to impact you in the future. If your injuries are permanent and inhibit your ability to work and participate in your daily activities, you should be compensated for those damages. In most cases, the more severe and long-term your injuries are, the more compensation you will be entitled to recover.  Your attorney will use the injury information gathered during your medical treatment to help place a monetary value on your claim. 

Once the value of your claim has been calculated based on the totality of the circumstances of the accident,  the applicable laws, your injuries and damages, you will be in a better position to negotiate a settlement agreement. You will also know whether or not the defendant’s settlement offers will fully and fairly compensate you. Financial recovery for your claim may include compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, permanent disability, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expenses, and future medical expenses.