Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers | August 9, 2024 | Personal Injury
Nearly every personal injury law firm in Ohio offers a free consultation to its potential clients. And that’s actually beneficial to both the client and the attorney. Personal injury lawyers in Columbus are given a chance to determine whether the individuals they meet will make for good clients with strong cases. And you, as the client, are able to determine whether the attorney or firm is the right fit.
Nevertheless, there are several aspects to be aware of before you sit down and discuss your situation with a Columbus personal injury lawyer. The following are nine such things you should know before you take advantage of a free consultation:
1. Bring All Available Records To a Free Lawyer Consultation
Before going to a consultation, collect as many records as you have. The more information you can provide to the lawyer during the consultation, the more accurately they will be able to determine whether you have a strong case, as well as what it is likely to be worth.
Examples of records you will want to bring are as follows:
- Medical records and bills
- A police report (if one has been made)
- Pictures of the accident scene and your injuries
- Contact information of relevant parties and witnesses
- Insurance company information
If you were involved in a car accident, a lot of these documents and bits of information will be relatively easy to get. However, in other types of accidents, you may need to do some extra work to acquire what you need.
2. Write Down What Happened Immediately After an Accident
Memory is fallible. And the longer it has been since something has happened, the more details you will likely forget. As such, the best way to remember everything that happened in an accident is to write down your recollections immediately afterward. A full (or close to full) account of the events will undoubtedly prove useful to a lawyer during your free consultation.
3. Don’t Hold Anything Back During a Free Initial Consultation
It can be tempting to hold back during a consultation, especially if you think you are partially responsible for your injuries. But withholding information from your lawyer just wastes the time of everyone involved, and it is one of the quickest ways to ensure that you don’t get the compensation you deserve.
If, for example, you made a mistake while at work that, in some part, led to your injury, tell your workplace accident lawyer exactly what happened. Honesty will help your case, as you are still likely eligible for compensation.
4. Plan the Questions You Will Ask During a Free Consultation
The law is nothing if not complicated, and it’s likely you don’t know much about it. The fact that free consultations are typically only one hour long doesn’t help in that regard, as that is not a lot of time to get answers to all your questions about relevant Ohio laws.
By planning your questions, you can save time. You’ll be able to easily identify when the lawyer answers questions you would have asked and instantly ask the remainder of your questions when necessary.
5. Pay Attention To the Lawyer’s Personality During Your Personal Injury Consultation
If you hire the attorney, you will likely be working with them for months, possibly even years. That could feel like a lifetime if you don’t get along with them, so pay attention to their personality during the consultation. If you have a feeling that the two of you might butt heads, it’s best to go with that instinct and find someone else.
6. Make Sure You Understand the Statute of Limitations and How It Affects Your Case
In most cases, the statute of limitations will restrict how long you have to file a personal injury lawsuit. Typically, that will be two years from the date of the injury you suffered. That may seem like a long time, but it can fly by. Discuss the implications of the statute of limitations with your potential lawyer to understand how it is likely to affect the outcome of your case.
7. Discuss Fee Structure
Personal injury lawyers charge contingency fees, which means they only get paid if they obtain compensation on your behalf. And even then, their fee is a percentage of the money they get you.
However, not all lawyers charge the same percentage, and every lawyer has different policies when dealing with expenses. Take as much time as you need to understand the lawyer’s fee structure and compare it to that of other attorneys before making a decision.
8. Discuss Your Expectations and Your Lawyer’s Expectations
One of the biggest problems that can come up in a civil lawsuit is mismatched expectations. Typically, that means yours will be much higher than the lawyer’s.
The best time to resolve those differences is at the start of your relationship. If you and one lawyer can’t agree on what to expect, you can always go to another. You may also have to lower (or, in some cases, raise) your expectations based on the results of the lawyer’s determination.
9. A Free Consultation Is Not a Commitment
Just because you take advantage of a lawyer’s free consultation does not mean you have to sign a contract with them. Many lawyers will try to get you to hire them on the spot, but that in no way means you are required to.
If you have a bad feeling about a lawyer for any reason, you have the right to refuse to sign a contract. And even if you have a good feeling about a lawyer, you can always choose to take a few days to consider your options. Assuming you asked about the statute of limitations as recommended, you should have a good idea of how much time you can afford to consider.
Take Advantage of One or More Free Consultations
The only cost of a free consultation is your time, so as you scour the web for “personal injury lawyer near me free consultation,” you should take advantage of multiple results.
The more information you have, the better decision you are likely to make about your legal options. Extra consultations may help you realize that a lawyer is a bad fit or may help clarify why a particular attorney is ideal.
Contact the Personal Injury Law Firm of Mani, Ellis & Layne, PLLC for Help Today
For more information, please contact an experienced lawyer at Mani, Ellis & Layne, PLLC to schedule a free initial consultation today. We have convenient locations in Columbus, OH, and Charleston, WV.
Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers – Columbus, OH Office
20 E Broad St Suite 1000, Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 587-8423
Mani Ellis & Layne Accident & Injury Lawyers – Charleston, WV Office
10 Hale St Suite 501, Charleston, WV 25301
(304) 720-1000