When you schedule a free consultation with a Jacksonville personal injury lawyer, the first thing on your mind is probably finding out whether you have a valid claim and how much your claim may be worth. That’s obviously important, but making the most of your free consultation requires a broader perspective.
The right personal injury lawyer will give you useful information and insights about your case and how Florida personal injury cases proceed. But, free consultations are also about finding the right lawyer for you. You shouldn’t go into a consultation just hoping the attorney will take your case. Instead, you should be asking, “Is this the law firm I want fighting for me?”
Here’s what you can expect when you consult an injury attorney at Harrell & Harrell, how some consultations are different, and what you should look for during your consultation.
Consulting a Personal Injury Attorney in Jacksonville
Harrell & Harrell Personal Injury Consultations
At Harrell & Harrell, a consultation with a personal injury attorney is an exploration. As attorneys, we want to answer your questions, but also to assess your case to determine whether we think it would be a good fit for our firm (and whether we’d be the best fit for you).
As a prospective client, you will undoubtedly have questions about your case, the law, and the legal procedures surrounding personal injury claims. We’re happy to answer those questions, and to do so in the setting that’s most comfortable for you, whether that’s a face-to-face meeting in our office or a video chat. Unlike some firms, we don’t put a hard time limit on free consultations. We know how important it is to hire the right personal injury lawyer, and we don’t expect you to make that choice with a stopwatch running.
In addition to your case-related questions, we hope you’ll feel comfortable asking questions about our law firm, our past experience with cases like yours, how we’ll work together, and more. We also know this may be your first time hiring an injury lawyer. So, we’re providing a list of questions to ask and things to look for during your free consultation, whether it’s with us or another law firm.
Some Personal Injury Firms Treat “Consultations” as Sales Calls
Some Jacksonville personal injury firms see the initial consultation as a pitch session. Rather than assessing your case and whether they’re the right firm for you and vice versa, they’re hard-selling from the first moment. Sometimes, the person you’re talking to doesn’t even work for the firm, but is an outside specialist in “conversion” — that means getting your business.
It also means no one at the firm is assessing the merits of your case or offering useful advice. You should be very wary if the person you’re “consulting” with:
- Pushes you to sign up with the firm immediately
- Makes big promises about what they can deliver, especially specific promises about the amount of money you will receive
- Is more interested in talking about what the firm can do for you than your case
- Sidesteps your questions about the case or about the firm
The Value of a True Personal Injury Consultation
When you consult with an experienced personal injury attorney, you can gather important information such as:
- How strong your case is and any possible issues with your claim
- What steps you need to take to protect your claim while your attorney does their job
- How long similar cases have taken to resolve, and what factors impact the timeline
- What types of damages you may be entitled to and how similar cases have been valued
- What to expect as the negotiation and litigation processes move forward
At Harrell & Harrell, our goal is always to provide you with useful information and set realistic expectations. We’ll never hard sell you or make overblown representations just to get you to sign on the dotted line.
We’ll also be prepared to answer your questions about our firm and our personal injury attorneys, including things like:
- How much experience we have with cases like yours
- How much of our practice is devoted to injury cases
- Where you can find reviews or testimonials from past clients
- Our attorneys’ courtroom and trial experience
- The steps we’ll take to investigate your claim and build your case
- How we decide whether to recommend settlement or taking a case to trial
- How you’ll interact with our firm and who your main point of contact will be
We also encourage you to assess us while we’re assessing your case and answering your questions. For example, pay attention to whether the attorney:
- Listens to your concerns and understands your priorities
- Answers the questions you ask in a way you can understand
- Makes you feel comfortable asking follow-up questions or asking for clarification
- Is someone you will be comfortable sharing personal information with as your case proceeds
You should ask these types of questions and make these observations if you consult with other firms, too. Choosing the right personal injury lawyer can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case. It can also make a big difference in terms of how painless or stressful the process is and how well-informed you feel as your case moves forward.
Harrell & Harrell is Here for You
The Harrell family has been fighting for Florida injury victims for more than 50 years. Our current firm was founded in 1991, and has served the Jacksonville area with dedication ever since. Our practice is focused entirely on injury and disability-related matters, and all of our attorneys have extensive experience with negligence cases and related claims.
To learn more about your rights after an injury and how Harrell & Harrell may be able to help you secure the compensation you need to rebuild, schedule your free consultation today. Call (904) 251-1111 or fill out our contact form. When the time comes for your consultation, don’t be afraid to ask the tough questions–we won’t be afraid to answer them.