Learn how to get the most out of your free initial consultation with a personal injury attorney

The basics of how free personal injury consultations work are pretty simple:

Call an attorney,
Get a free consultation

However, if you want really to make your free personal injury consultation work for you, you will need to know more.

What is the purpose of a free personal injury consultation?

There are two main purposes of a personal injury consultation. First of all, they allow you to get an expert opinion on the advisability of pursuing an insurance claim or lawsuit based on your injuries. This is very valuable because insurance companies and other involved parties may be trying to discourage you from pursuing a case by saying you have no legal grounds for a claim or your injuries do not really deserve compensation. You need an unbiased opinion, and that is exactly what an attorney will give you.

Secondly, free consultations give you a chance to sort of interview different attorneys for the job of representing you. You want to be careful to choose an attorney that is not only qualified on paper, but also treats you well and seems like someone you can trust with your case.

What information does the attorney need to evaluate my case?

In order to provide the best possible advice about your next steps, your attorney needs all the evidence you have available regarding your accident and your injuries. For example, you might want to bring the following items with you to the consultation:

Police reports
Photographs of the scene of the accident
Medical records
Receipts for expenses related to your injury
Insurance information
Pay stubs
Any correspondence received from the insurance company or other involved parties

Based on this information, the attorney will be able to help you understand your legal standing in the case as well as estimate the amount of compensation you might stand to win.

How long will the consultation last?

Personal injury consultations typically last about half an hour. However, if your case is complicated your consultation could run long, so it is best to budget plenty of time for your consultation.

What happens if I want to hire the attorney?

If your case has merit, most attorneys—including Fernando D. Vargas—will represent you on a contingency fee basis. This means that your personal injury attorney will cover any expenses required to build your case. They will not ask to be reimbursed unless they win you a settlement. At that time, they will also take a percentage of your settlement as their attorney fee. If you do not win your case, you never have to pay a penny.