If you’ve been hurt in an a car accident or slip and fall, your first line of defense may be to look into an initial consultation with a local Sarasota attorney. In this first meeting, you can learn about the personal injury process, the details of your specific case, and get answers to any questions you may have. We will help you to determine if your case has merit. Most importantly, you can learn about the next steps to take to ensure that your case goes as well as possible.
When you first consult with a personal injury lawyer, they will want to hear your first hand account of the incident. If you have lost a family member and are not exactly sure what happened, any details you can provide will be helpful.
Different procedures for initial consultations exist depending on the law firm. The length of the consultation may vary, but you can expect that the more serious the injury or negligence involved, the longer your consult may take. For instance, a medical malpractice case may require more information than a car accident case.
Not every Sarasota attorney is an ideal fit to take on your personal injury case. You will want to do some research, and find a personal injury law firm with experience in the type of case you are bringing. You can find this information on law directories and on their website. You can also have a list of questions ready for the top 2 or 3 attorneys you are considering. Their answers will help you to make up your mind. Remember, you are looking for experience, confidence and knowledge. Some attorneys settle most of their cases, some are more qualified to bring a lawsuit to court. Overall, you will need to feel personally confident that your attorney understands your case, has the experience you are looking for, and is a good “fit” for your personality. After all, you may be working together for months – or even years.
What Information Is Needed at an Initial Consultation?
Because you may not know what is an important detail and what is not, we advise you to bring everything you have to an initial consultation. We will help you sort through the details. A skilled personal injury lawyer will be able to determine the relevance (or non-relevance) of the information you bring.
Here are some examples of the information which may be important to your case.
- In the case of a car accident, you may wish bring photos from the scene, notes you took immediately following the incident, eyewitness information, copies of your insurance coverage, insurance information from the other driver, the police report, and doctor’s reports and prognosis, and any work information pertaining to your income. (Read 5 Things to Do After a Car Accident)
- In the case of a slip and fall, you will want to bring the property’s report, the police report (if applicable), all doctor information, income-related information. If possible, take photos at the scene of the dangerous conditions. (broken up sidewalk or wet floor).
- If you are bringing a premises security case, take photos of the unsafe conditions, police report, or property statement regarding personal safety.
The attorney will focus on two areas (1) How the accident/incident occurred, and (2) your injuries and medical treatment. Therefore, the more information and documentation you can bring in regard to these two areas will be useful.
Read: Can I Fire my Current Personal Injury Attorney?
The Statute of Limitations in Florida
Florida has a body of law dictating the statute of limitations for each type of personal injury case. Typically, you have between 2 and 5 years to bring a personal injury case, but those time frames vary depending on the circumstance. Therefore it is always advisable that you seek an initial consultation with an attorney as soon as it is practical to do so – you never want to find yourself in a position of being too late to protect your rights.
The most important thing to realize about an initial consultation is that you are not obligated to work with that attorney. At Probinsky & Cole, we are confident that you will choose our firm for our expertise and experience – call today.
