Your free legal consultation is an opportunity not only for the personal injury lawyer to assess your
case and see if you have a strong standing, but also for you to ask any questions you may have about fees, expenses, expected settlement amounts, expected time frames, the lawyer’s experience, and more. An honest lawyer will answer your questions in a clear and upfront manner, and won’t pressure you into making any immediate decisions.
Preparing For Your Consultation
Before your consultation, you should take steps to make sure you get the most out of it. Your consultation is the time to connect with your potential lawyer and make sure you know what you’re getting into. This is also the time to make sure your lawyer is knowledgeable, has the right type of experience, and treats you like a person.
Before your consultation, you should:
- Research your lawyer online: Make sure they are properly credentialed and that they handle cases like yours.
- Look at testimonials: See what real people have said about their experience.
- Write down your questions: You probably won’t remember every question you want to ask, so it’s better to be prepared and bring a written list.
- See if any of your questions can be answered online: You want to make the most of your consultation, so make sure your questions are relevant and can’t be easily answered by a quick trip to the lawyer’s website. If you want clarification about something you’ve already found the answer to, though, ask away.
If your injuries are too severe to do this prep work yourself, ask a friend or family member to do it for you. We understand that recovery after a traumatic incident can be tough and may limit your ability to do your due diligence, but being prepared can save you a lot of potential hassle and help you to make the right choice of personal injury lawyer.
During Your Personal Injury Consultation
During your free consultation, you should have your list of pre-prepared questions to ask. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarifications or examples if you don’t think an answer was satisfactory. In addition, you should be speaking with one of the people who will actually be handling your case, whether it’s the lawyer him (or her) self or a case manager.
Questions to ask at a personal injury consultation can include:
- How many years of experience does the lawyer who will be handling my case have?
- Has this lawyer handled cases similar to mine?
- What fees or expenses will I be responsible for if my case is successful? What about if it is unsuccessful?
- What kind of resources does this law firm have?
- Is this lawyer prepared to go to trial if necessary?
- What are the chances my case will go to trial?
- How much communication can I expect from my legal team throughout the process?
- Who will be my main point of contact?
- How much does the lawyer think my case is worth?
You should also be prepared to answer questions yourself. You will be asked about the incident, your injuries, and the circumstances surrounding the incident. The more detail you can remember, the better. We recommend writing down as much as you can remember about the scene of the incident as soon as you can, while your memory is fresh.
Schedule Your Free Personal Injury Consultation
If you have been injured through someone else’s negligence, please call Charles Rossman Personal Injury Lawyer today to schedule your free consultation. We will be happy to review your case and answer all of your questions.
We serve clients in Hamilton, Brantford, Burlington, Stoney Creek, Niagara Falls, and other nearby areas of Ontario.