Suffering from a personal injury is a uniquely traumatic experience. As if undergoing lasting and significant physical pain was not enough, you must also deal with the stress and emotional aftershock that follows. You may end up suffering from permanent disability or PTSD. That is why simply ensuring that you are not in any immediate critical danger is not enough. You must also begin thinking about how to get your life back in order. Depending on the severity of your injury, that may involve collecting damages. If you have been suffering from great emotional suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, medical expenses, monetary losses, or physical pain, you may want to seek out the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer.

Whether you have suffered a traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, burn injury, amputation(s), automobile accident, or anything in between, consulting a lawyer as soon as possible is the wisest thing you can do. A seasoned nationwide personal injury attorney can help make sure you maintain your quality of life and collect the damages you are owed for your injury.

However, we know that making a consultation with a lawyer may seem like an intimidating ordeal. You may not know what to expect or how to prepare. You may not even be sure that your injury is serious enough for a personal injury lawyer to handle. If you find any of this ringing true for you, then this blog post may help.

What Happens in the Initial Consultation?

With most personal injury lawyers, the initial consultation is offered free of charge. This makes the meeting the perfect opportunity for you to learn more about the attorney and determine whether or not they are the type of person you would like representing you. After all, you can talk to multiple attorneys at a time with no cost.

It is also the time for you to lay out all the facts and details of your case so the lawyer can start assessing your case and determine your chances of winning. At this point, they will start formulating the best way to attack your case. There should be no reason for you to be feeling any unnecessary pressures at this point.

Generally speaking, you can expect a consultation to take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Come prepared with any questions and concerns you may have, along with any relevant documents (listed below). Since memory sometimes fails us, it may help to jot down these thoughts before the consultation is scheduled to take place. You may also find it helpful to discuss your accident or injury with a trusted friend or family member. Oftentimes, speaking about things helps clarify the memory and solidify the facts about what happened.

What Documents Should I Bring With Me?

The more evidence you have in your favor, the better. It follows, then, that adequate documentation is absolutely vital to building up your case. Make sure to collect as much of the following as possible and bring copies with you to your consultation:

• Accident reports
• Citations or tickets
• Insurance information
• Medical records
• Photographs of the accident and your injuries, if any exist
• Prescription documents
• Receipts for any injury-related expenses

Have any extra documents not listed above? Even better. Legal documents or correspondence from involved parties, including insurance companies, is especially useful. And of course, remember to bring any aforementioned notes you have taken on your case. There are no wrong or stupid questions you can ask, especially when it comes to seeking out your rightful damages.

How Much Should I Expect to Pay for My Personal Injury Case?

Because no two cases are exactly the same, this varies on an individual basis. However, you can expect the attorney to start discussing fees with you after they have properly assessed your case. This usually happens towards the end of the consultation. The good news is: most personal injury lawyers take on claims based on contingency. This means you will not be charged by the hour; rather, your attorney will collect a fixed percentage of your settlement once you win your case. Oftentimes, this percentage is about one-third of the recovery. If you lose, you will not need to pay your lawyer (although you will still need to pay court filing fees and other similar charges). Contingent fees only apply in cases where money is being claimed. However, exceptions may apply and the specifics of your case will be best discussed between you and your lawyer.

Seeking Legal Assistance

There is no reason to be intimidated by the prospect of seeking out a lawyer. After an accident, you may expect your insurance company to compensate you for the cost of your medical bills. You may also believe that the insurance company of the at-fault party will automatically be at liability for your costs. In reality, not even insurance companies will always have your best interests in mind. Because each payment to you is a loss for them, they will do their best to minimize your settlement. Seeking out an attorney is the best way to ensure that you are getting the full amount you are owed.

When it comes to seeking out damages for a personal injury, acting immediately is key. You want to file before your statute of limitations runs out, and your chances of winning are proportionate to how early you seek out help. Once the statute of limitations runs out, your options become severely limited. At Injury Victim Law, we are here to help. We are a Colorado-based firm with a team of experts and investigators dedicated to seeking out justice for injury victims nationwide. We can assist victims of car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, whiplash injury, and more. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our qualified attorneys. Do not hesitate to take the next step in protecting yourself and your rights. Call us at 800-245-2774. We are dedicated to getting you the damages you deserve. Make sure that you do not suffer as a result of someone else’s mistakes.