If you've been injured in an accident, you might have no idea how to proceed.
Do you have a legitimate claim? Do you need to hire an attorney? If so, who should you hire?
An "initial consultation" is the first meeting with an attorney that takes place before you sign a contract to formally hire a lawyer. The initial consultation is intended to help both you and the attorney decide if you want to form an attorney-client relationship.
Because the 2 of you aren't sure yet whether you want to work together, most attorneys don't charge for initial consultations.
So how exactly does an initial consultation work?
Let's take a look at some common questions.
The vast majority of attorneys offer free consultations. Many attorneys advertise this on their website.
Here at Enjuris, the attorney and law firm listings found in our free online lawyer directory usually say whether they offer free initial consultations. If the profile page doesn't indicate that it offers free initial consultations, call the number listed to confirm.
Some state bar organizations have arrangements that limit the amount attorneys can charge for initial consultations.
For example, Oregon attorneys who enroll in the Oregon State Bar Lawyer Referral Service must provide 30-minute consultations to prospective clients who are referred to the attorney through the service and can't charge more than $35 for the consultation.
Because you and the attorney haven't yet formed an attorney-client relationship, initial consultations are limited in time and depth. Nevertheless, the attorney should listen to the details of your case and provide you with some important information.
After your initial consultation, you should be able to determine:
If, at the end of your initial consultation, both you and the attorney want to form an attorney-client relationship, the attorney will provide you with an engagement agreement to sign (or take down your contact information and send you an engagement agreement to sign later). Once the agreement is signed by you and the attorney, an attorney-client relationship is formed.
"During an initial consultation, you have the opportunity to discuss the facts of the case with an attorney. You will also be able to ask them questions about your case, how they would handle certain issues in your case, and about their experience in the field of law in which your accident has occurred.
At this point, you are interviewing the attorney and in the same regard, they are interviewing you. If you have a question, don't hesitate to ask."
Ben Gerber
Enjuris Partner Attorney
When you attend an initial consultation, you are NOT yet a client. Rather, you are a prospective client. However, lawyers still owe certain duties to prospective clients. One of these duties is the duty of attorney-client confidentiality.
Accordingly, the lawyer you meet with is prohibited from revealing information about you and your claim unless you give informed consent.
To get the most out of your free initial consultation, you need to be prepared. Keep in mind, there are 2 main things you want to accomplish with an initial consultation:
To learn more about your case (such as whether you have a legitimate claim and what amount of damages you can expect), you'll need to bring all the relevant documents you have. Not sure what documents you should bring? Take a look at our checklist:
Documents & Evidence Checklist
Checklist of 30 items to help you prepare for making a personal injury or accident claim
Download in PDF format
In addition, you need to be prepared to answer any questions the attorney might ask about your accident. Not sure what questions the attorney will ask? Here are some questions that you should be prepared to answer:
Your First Meeting with an Attorney
A worksheet to prepare for your first meeting with a personal injury attorney – what to bring, what they'll ask
Download in PDF format
As for determining whether or not you should hire the attorney you're meeting with, here are some questions to consider asking them during the initial consultation:
Personal Injury Attorney Interview Sheet
Worksheet with questions to ask a personal injury attorney to help determine if he or she will be a good fit for your case
Download in PDF format
Westmoreland, Patterson, Moseley & Hinson, L.L.P.
Enjuris Partner Law Firm
Now that you know how beneficial free consultations are, we think you'll agree that there's often no reason not to schedule one.
Visit our free lawyer directory to locate some experienced personal injury attorneys in your area. Each profile page in our directory contains the contact information for the attorney and shows whether they offer free consultations.