Personal Injury Consultation

Lawyers get a bad rap. Personal injury lawyer perhaps even more so. We’ve all no doubt heard countless lawyer jokes- and there are some very, very funny lawyer jokes. Common stereotypes are of wealthy, typically men, making money off the misfortune of others. Makes for a lot of cocktail humor. 

Having said that, consider this: the value and worth of a seasoned and skilled professional rendering their services to you for free is something that really can’t be overstated. Ask yourself, would a physician or scientist, with years of experience diagnosing specific types of injuries or conditions, be willing to offer his or her opinions to you, over the phone- for free? Would a long-time certified public accountant be willing to answer your specific questions, about your tax return, over the phone, for free? Would your local mechanic service technician be willing to listen to you describe your mechanical problem, and then tell you how to fix it over the phone, for free? The idea of a free particularized analysis, and the rendering of legal advice, on an as-needed and gratuitous basis is a concept unique to the legal profession, and even more particularized to personal injury lawyers. While practices may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, the consultation process generally begins with a phone call, and then a follow-up conversation- whether that conversation occurs during the initial call or on a subsequent call, or in a potentially more complex situation, a follow-up zoom conference, or the equivalent, might be arranged.  In terms of what the potential client or inquirer should expect as the result of a consultation, the answer likely varies based on the purpose of the inquiry. Assume the inquirer has a legal question about an abstract legal matter that is within the designated practice areas of the attorney, and it is a question that can be answered quickly, over the phone or in a responsive email, and the attorney can answer that question without needing more information. 

In other words, it is the type of question that is subject to a generalized non-specific answer. In such a scenario, it would be fair to expect an answer to the question posed.  Many personal injury lawyers have found that the inquirer, while having legal questions, is also interested in exploring the concept of hiring a personal injury lawyer to assist them with the claim. If this is the expectation of the inquirer, it’s safe to assume that as a result of the consultation process, they will have identified a personal injury attorney that has answered the questions they have posed to their satisfaction. 

The lawyer has either advised them that this would not be a claim that they could assist with, or that this is precisely the type of claim that the consulting attorney handles. The inquirer will also understand the terms upon which the consulting attorney will undertake the representation, as well as other expected details, such as effective dates, commencement date, and importantly- “next steps.”