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Checklist to Follow Before Meeting a Personal Injury Attorney in Denver
After an accident, getting an attorney is the next best decision you can make. Before the meeting, you need to know how you’ll approach a personal injury attorney in Denver.
But how you’re going to meet an attorney for the first time? What are the questions to ask? It can be intimidating especially if you don’t know what to ask.
This post is designed to guide you on how you’re going to approach an attorney for the first time. Take a look at the checklist:
What to Expect
Consultation with a personal injury lawyer for the first time is usually free of cost. It can last between 15 and 60 minutes, depending on your case.
If you have been browsing on the internet, you’ll encounter the phrase, “free consultation” on the majority of personal injury lawyer sites.
Don’t forget that fees should be discussed upfront before signing any agreement. Attorney’s fee varies from industry to industry, so you better know how much you have to pay.
Get ready with your narrative
First and foremost, the attorney is going to assess your situation to know if you have a case or if there are enough witnesses for your case.
It’s going to look like an interview, so be ready with your details.
If you are evaluating the attorney to know if they are the right one, they are also assessing your case. The initial meeting is going to be as detailed as possible.
The attorney may look at some factors including facts, consistency in the details and story, or familiarization on the incident.
If you look unsure about what you are talking about, the attorney has the right to decline their services.
Here are some points that you need to tell your lawyer:
- The timeline of the incident.
- What physical injuries you have sustained?
- Medical bills you’ve settled on your own.
- The name of your attending physicians and medications.
- Did you miss work?
- Did you collect disability assistance or payments?
Your credibility is as important as the attorney’s credibility. There may be some problems if you don’t know how you’re going to tell the timeline of the accident.
Don’t be too emotional
Lawyers know how bad your accident could be, or how you were affected by trauma. However, if you cannot contain your emotions and spill it over at your first meeting, it’s not going to help.
They need facts. Set aside your emotional baggage about the incident. If you’re going to use the consultation just to pour out your emotions, you’re wasting their time.
There is the right person to handle this and it’s definitely not them. Their role is to protect your legal rights. If you find it hard to cope with your accident, make sure to approach the right professional.
Honesty is the best policy
Tell the lawyer the actual happening before, during and after the accident. Don’t try to change the facts so that you’ll look better in front of the attorney. If it’s your fault or someone’s make sure to tell all the details.
Stitching stories isn’t a good idea. Even you may have a fault, keep in mind that your attorney has their best interest to help you.
If you are keeping secrets from them, then they cannot help you either. You have to trust them that they can really help your case.
Ask if needed you injury attorney in Denver
Lawyers have their own language. There are legal terms that are completely stranger to you.
Don’t pretend that you know all these words. Clarify the meanings of these terms, and ask questions. Ask how it applies to your personal injury case.
When you go home after your meeting with the attorney, you don’t want to find yourself wondering what those terms mean. Sometimes, they forget that you’re not familiar with the terms unless you ask.
It’s very important that you choose with a personal injury lawyer who works for your best interest. There may be a chance that they may give you advice that you don’t disagree with.
You need someone with real expertise and experience because it’s the main reason why you’re getting a lawyer in the first place. You cannot just proceed with a case on your own.
So make sure that you are comfortable working with your attorney.
