A free consultation with a personal injury attorney may feel daunting at first. After an injury, you are likely in unknown territory with mounting medical expenses and unsure where to turn. In these situations, you need someone to fight for you. The best part about a consultation is that it is free. This sets personal injury law apart from most other fields of practice. Personal injury attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis. This means we only take a fee if we win your case. Otherwise, you do not pay us a dime. It also means you do not pay a legal fee based on how much time you spend communicating with your attorney.
We prefer this method because an hourly rate discourages clients from asking questions, potentially leaving them confused and in the dark. With the contingency fee, you can ask away and clearly understand your case and your rights. The American Bar Association offers a helpful overview of finding legal help if you want to learn more before reaching out.
Where We Meet
This is ultimately up to you. We always prefer meeting our clients in person, since that leads to stronger working relationships. However, we conduct most of our consultations over the phone. We can handle every aspect of your case over the phone and by email.
What We Will Discuss
When you have a consultation, we will start by discussing the merits of your case from a purely legal perspective. This is a critical first step in evaluating your case. Common questions at this stage include when the injury occurred, the severity of your pain, any medical treatment you may have already received, who the defendant is, and any other relevant questions that come up based on the facts of your case.
In addition to the merits of your case, we will talk about whether your case is worth pursuing. There are two common reasons you may technically have a case but we will not want to proceed. The first is that you have no damages. Even if we prevail in court, the most you may be entitled to is nominal damages. As a reminder, we must prove that you suffered harm. You do not get much money merely to prove the defendant was negligent. While we are very good at parsing through your case and finding compensable damages, some plaintiffs do not suffer any harm.
The second reason we may decline your claim is the lack of insurance coverage. Even if we prevail at trial and receive a favorable judgment, the defendant may be unable to pay. Their insurance may not cover the loss, or there may be no coverage at all. Of course, we will consider all options, including the possibility that you can make an insurance claim under your own coverage. But after exhausting all options, if there is no realistic path to recovery, we will tell you honestly.
Next Steps
As we wrap up your consultation, we will discuss the next steps. We will make sure you are on a treatment plan that addresses your injuries. Together, we will discuss what goes into valuing your case and what you can do to maximize the compensation you deserve. Our team will also explain how our fee structure works. And, of course, we will open the floor to you for any questions. This is your case, and we want you to feel comfortable with the process.
How Long Is A Consultation?
An initial consultation typically takes 20 minutes at most. Given our 70 years of experience, we know the exact questions to ask to extract every relevant detail. Of course, if you are in a car accident with multiple passengers, and there are numerous plaintiffs, we may take longer to speak with each person and evaluate the merits of their respective cases.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Our personal injury attorneys will happily conduct a free consultation with you. We practice injury law in Washington, D.C. and Maryland. We most commonly handle car accident cases, truck accident cases, motorcycle accident cases, wrongful death cases, pedestrian accident cases, and nightclub injury cases.
