Personal Injury: Your First Meeting With An Attorney

When you suffer from a serious accident or injury, it’s hard to know what to expect or how to feel. This is especially true when you first walk into a personal injury attorney’s office. Your first meeting is going to help you figure out whether or not you should work together.

We all know this will be the moment where you present the potential case to your lawyer, explain the details, show the evidence, and also get a feeling for what the lawyer in question may be able to offer you. That much is clear, and that’s why people usually come prepared with questions about the potential personal injury suit.

Though these details are fairly well-known, there are others that aren’t as widely discussed. If you aren’t sure what is appropriate and what isn’t, these quick tips will help you as you meet with a lawyer:

• It’s okay to get emotional. There isn’t a personal injury law firm out there that hasn’t seen an accident survivor break down in tears over the loss they suffered—or hasn’t seen a grieving family during a wrongful death. It doesn’t make you less of a person if you are visibly upset over what happened. Your lawyer, if they’re a good one, will understand.
• There’s no such thing as a bad question. Educating yourself on what you should do, expect, and what things you should watch out for. Your time should be spent asking as many questions as you can.
• Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know an answer. Your lawyer will be asking you for details too. If you don’t know the information for sure, it’s a good idea to be upfront. Your lawyer will understand and work to uncover whatever facts he or she will need.
• Expect to have your lawyer start tackling your immediate issues ASAP. Getting harassed by bill collectors? Feeling intimidated into being silenced? Tell your lawyer. While they will be working on your case, they also are there to help you piece your life together in terms of accident-related “side problems” like bad debt collection.

It’s alright to feel a little scared from time to time. That first meeting with a personal injury lawyer won’t be as intimidating as you think it will be. If anything, most clients feel more confident and prepared after speaking to their lawyer. So, don’t worry. Now is the time you can start seeing your life get better.