No one wants to be in a situation that requires them to take legal action. Unfortunately, there are things that are beyond your control. While you may be extremely cautious while driving, working, or walking around someone else’s property, others may not be. Many people are often negligent and reckless, putting others in harm’s way.
When this negligence occurs, accidents happen, and people get hurt. Whether you suffered an injury in a car accident, slip-and-fall accident, or were harmed by a dangerous drug, taking legal action might be your best course of action.
Many people do not have much experience in the legal field, which can make the entire situation daunting. Even working with a personal injury attorney can be anxiety-inducing for many. Before any legal action takes place, you must first have a legal consultation with an attorney. While intimidating, these legal consultations are crucial to the success of your personal injury claim.
Coming prepared for your legal consolation will not only set your Oklahoma personal injury attorney up for success, but it will also help ease your anxiety to the whole situation. At AMA Law, we offer clients free consultation for their legal needs. To schedule a free consultation, give our Oklahoma personal injury law firm a call today.
Why Do You Need a Legal Consultation?
Once you have decided to take legal action after suffering damages or injuries due to someone else’s negligence, you must first find an attorney. Before you choose an attorney to take on your case, you should meet them in a legal consultation.
A legal consultation is the first interaction between you and an attorney. This meeting allows you both to get to know each other better, helping both parties decide if this pairing will be a good fit. It is also where your attorney will first learn about your case. They will learn all the essential details regarding your situation.
REMEMBER, this meeting is not the start of legal representation. Consider it the feeling out stage. Once an attorney has all the facts, they will decide whether they want to take the case or not. Even if they choose to take your case, you can choose not to go with them if you don’t feel comfortable or confident in their services.
For every legal consultation, you must always come prepared. Doing so will make the entire process go smoother and will ease some of your anxiety. To help, AMA Law has provided some useful tips to prepare for your consultation.
Collect General Information About Your Case
Your attorney needs general information about your case to create a picture of the accident. Far too often, clients do not have a straight story or leave out crucial information when retelling it during a consultation.
Before you even meet the attorney, get your story straight. Write down all the essential information regarding your case. Make sure the events of the accident are in chronological order. Also, be upfront and honest with your attorney. They cannot successfully help you if they do not have all the facts or the truth.
Some key details to include are:
- The names and contact information of all involved parties
- Address, cell number, work number, name, email, etc.
- Your contact information
- The exact date the accident occurred (to ensure it falls within Oklahoma’s statute of limitations)
- Case type
- Car accident
- Slip-and-fall accident
- Medical negligence case
- Dangerous drug case
- Nursing home abuse
- Etc.
- Key details of your case (the who, what, when, where, why, and how)
This information will give a personal injury attorney a clear idea of what happened in your accident. They will be able to determine what legal implications may occur from your accident.
Additionally, be upfront about what you expect from this partnership. What do you want your lawyer to do for you? Giving your Oklahoma personal injury attorney your desired goal gives them something to work towards.
Gather Vital Evidence and Documents
Along with learning about you and your case, your attorney will need to see crucial evidence and documents. This information allows them to assess the strength of your case, helping them decide whether to take it or not.
Each case type is different, so the documents and evidence you need to collect may differ from case to case. However, there are items that you should gather and bring with you, such as:
- Contracts (employment agreements, leases, etc.)
- Police reports (including officer’s name and badge number)
- Photographs of the accident
- The scene of the accident
- Any property damage, such as cars
- License plates
- Eyewitness statements and contact information
- Financial documents
- Medical reports (detailing current and future treatment due to injuries suffered in the accident)
- Any communication between relevant parties (letter, emails, texts, etc.)
If possible, gather as much of this evidence before your legal consultation. While some may not be available to you in the immediate aftermath of an accident, much of it will be. Providing this evidence to your attorney will give them a head start in building a case.
Come with Questions
Legal consultations are not just for an attorney to listen to your case and decide to take it. The consultation also gives you a chance to find someone you feel comfortable working alongside. Take this initial meeting as a chance to get to know the attorney and the Oklahoma law firm better.
Do not be afraid to ask questions such as:
- How much experience do you and your law firm have?
- Do you have much experience working on this case type?
- Do you have experience working on the opposing side of this case? If so, how will they react?
- How do you charge for your services?
- Can you explain the process you would take for a case like mine?
- If possible, can you estimate how long it will take to resolve my case?
- Do you see any issues or concerns with my case?
- What pieces of information or evidence do you need to evaluate the strength of my case?
- Do I have any non-legal options?
- Will you handle my case personally, or will someone else from your law firm take over? If not, can I meet the other attorney before agreeing to representation?
Depending on your circumstance, you may have questions specific to your case. Regardless, these questions help you feel confident and comfortable about working with an attorney.
Contact an Oklahoma Law Firm
Taking legal action can be intimidating. However, in many situations, it might be the only option you have to receive the compensation you deserve. A legal consultation will give you and your attorney the opportunity to get to know each other and discuss the legal implications of your case.
If you were involved in an accident, contact the Oklahoma personal injury law firm at AMA Law to schedule your free consultation.