You hear and read about attorneys offering a free Consultation for your personal injury case. But do you know what that means? Understanding why attorneys offer these evaluations and how to prepare for them can help make your consultation a valuable investment of your time. Consider these nine facts about free legal consultations.

1. The Consultation Really Should Be Free

Lawyers who offer you a free consultation should not charge you for any reason for your visit. If the lawyer who meets with you demands any sort of payment, end the relationship then and there.

2. Expect Your Consultation To Last an Hour or Less

You will only have a little time to meet with the attorney or legal staff member during your consultation. It is common for these consultations to last an hour or less, depending on the firm and its resources.

3. Your Legal Problem Will Not Be Solved

A valuable consultation should clarify your legal options and what a lawsuit could do to resolve your personal injury situation. However, consultations do not last long enough or reveal enough information to fully solve your legal problem.

4. The Attorney You Meet With Is Not Your Attorney Yet

While meeting with the attorney, it is essential to remember the attorney is not your attorney and does not represent you at that moment. You should not expect the attorney to take any further action on your case until after you sign a contract or retainer agreement or pay a fee to hire them.

5. A Consultation Is a Learning Opportunity

More than anything, a free personal injury consultation is an opportunity for you and the firm to learn about each other. You should evaluate the firm to see if you can work with them and trust them to handle your case. The firm will be learning about your situation and whether they would like to take you on as a client.

6. Come Prepared With Questions

To make the most of your time with the attorney, you should write down questions about your situation in order of importance. Creating this list helps ensure that your most pressing concerns receive an answer during your consultation.

7. Some Firms Will Give You a Sales Pitch

In addition to evaluating you as a potential client, most personal injury firms understand that you are considering the firm as a possible representative. It’s okay, then, if the attorney or staff member spends some time highlighting their firm and its accomplishments.

With that being said, the consultation should not primarily focus on the firm. Instead, you and the attorney should spend most of the time discussing your legal situation.

8. You May Not Meet With an Attorney

Some Clearwater personal injury law firms do not make their attorneys available to consult with prospective clients. In these cases, you’ll likely meet with a legal assistant or paralegal. These consultations are less helpful since neither a paralegal nor a legal assistant can officially advise you of legal steps to take.

When you call a firm to request a free consultation, the firm should tell you whether you will meet with one of their attorneys or someone else.

9. Free Consultations Carry No Obligations

At the end of your consultation, if you feel uncomfortable moving forward with that law firm as your representative, don’t hesitate to say so and move on. Although firms generally want your business after a consultation, your claim is too important to entrust to a firm in which you have no confidence.

Contact the Clearwater Personal Injury Law Firm of Winters & Yonker, P.A. for Help Today

For more information, please contact Winters & Yonker, P.A. to schedule a free consultation with a persoal injury lawyer in Clearwater today. We have five convenient locations in Florida, including Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey, and Lakeland.

We proudly serve Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Pasco County, Polk County, and its surrounding areas:

Winters & Yonker, P.A. – Tampa Office
601 W Swann Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
(813) 223-6200

Winters & Yonker, P.A. – Clearwater Office
600 Bypass Dr Suite 224-D, Clearwater, FL 33764
(727) 493-4418

Winters & Yonker, P.A. – St. Petersburg Office
111 2nd Ave NE Suite 350, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 314-5988

Winters & Yonker, P.A. – New Port Richey Office
5006 Trouble Creek Rd Unit #206, Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 910-5060

Winters & Yonker, P.A. – Lakeland Office
1543 Lakeland Hills Blvd Suite 18, Lakeland, FL 33805
(863) 251-6196

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