Attorney
Dealing with a personal injury may be stressful, and you may be uncertain of what you need to disclose to your attorney. For many people, the first step is having a consultation about their case. The more candid you are with the attorney in this initial meeting, the more likely you are to get good advice. Our Maryland personal injury attorney can help evaluate your case, and the more information you provide us, the better we can help you.
The Initial Consultation Sets the Tone
An initial consultation with an attorney is your chance to go through the details of what happened to you, the extent of your injuries, and any additional information about your accident. You should be as detailed as possible and provide copies of any police reports or other documents about the accident.
The attorney will likely have a lot of questions as well. The most important thing is to be truthful and candid. If you are uncertain about an answer, be clear about this. If you need a question re-phrased or explained, ask for this. If you are guessing, that is ok but make sure you inform the attorney.
Answering the attorney’s questions in this manner helps the attorney analyze your case and provide in-depth legal advice.
You Should Ask Questions Too
It is a good idea to come prepared with questions of your own too. Choosing an attorney to represent you is a serious matter. You might wish to ask some of the following questions to see if you feel comfortable with the attorney:
- How many injury cases do you handle each year?
- How much time do you devote to my case?
- Is it easy to reach you if I have a question or want an update?
- How long can it take to settle a case like my case?
- Do you think my case will go to trial?
- How do I pay my medical bills while my case is pending?
- What do you think my case is worth?
- How does your office keep me updated on the status of my case?
These questions can help you evaluate if this is the right attorney for you.
An Attorney May Not Accept Your Case
Although honesty is important, understand that the attorney may not take your case after an initial consultation. There may be many reasons for this. Your conversation may reveal to the attorney that they have a conflict of interest, for example.
Other reasons may include that the statute of limitations has expired in your case, your damages are not high enough for a claim to be pursued, the type of injury case is more specialized and needs to be referred to another firm, or you may be partially responsible for the accident, and you may not be able to recover under Maryland law.
If an attorney declines to take your accident case, ask for a reason. You may wish to get a second opinion.
Speak With an Attorney Promptly
Dealing with an injury can be challenging, and your focus may be on trying to recover. However, you should avoid delaying speaking with an attorney because you have limited time to file a claim in Maryland. The statute of limitations is three years, with certain exceptions. Contact our office today for a free consultation about your case.