When you’re talking to your personal injury attorney in Columbia, South Carolina, it’s important to communicate clearly and concisely. This will help your attorney to understand your predicament so as to file the most effective claim.
You should also be completely honest with your personal injury lawyer in Columbia because they’ll rely on the information you share with them to build a case. So, if you omit certain important details, you may be making your claim weaker, thereby minimizing your chances of getting compensated fairly.
Effective Ways to Communicate With Your Personal Injury Lawyer
One of the key responsibilities of your personal injury attorney is to restore your peace of mind by reassuring you that your injuries will be fully compensated–but this reassurance stems from your ability to communicate effectively with your attorney right from the start. It’s your responsibility to ensure that your lawyer has all the details they need from you and all the right answers to their concerns before they file your claim.
Here are important tips on how to effectively communicate with your personal injury lawyer in Columbia:
Ask Questions about Your Personal Injury Claim
As you prepare to contact your personal injury attorney, compile a list of important questions about your claim. Aside from helping you to understand important aspects of your claim, this list of questions will also be useful when you’re determining the qualifications of your personal injury attorneys. Their answers will tell you if they’re the right people to handle your case.
Some of the common questions clients ask their personal injury attorneys include:
- What are my rights?
- What is the possible outcome?
- What does my lawyer need from me?
- What percentage does a personal injury lawyer take?
- What is included in my attorney’s services, and what is not?
- How often should my attorney update me?
Be Honest and Transparent
The biggest mistake you can ever make when you’re filing a personal injury claim is to lie to your attorney. If you’re responsible for the accident that caused the injuries, tell your lawyer the entire truth.
This way, they can figure out the best way to argue your case, know what arguments may be used against you, and guarantee you the most impressive outcome. An experienced lawyer understands the legal system and the laws that apply to personal injury claims.
So, your attorney will stand a better chance of winning the case when they have the full truth about your claim. You might assume that you’re jeopardizing your case by sharing facts that might implicate you, but those facts could be pivotal details your attorney needs to win your case.
Let Them Know What You Expect
Because you and your personal injury attorney are working towards the same goal, you should let them know what you expect from the claim. This way, they can frame their arguments in a way that will yield the desired outcome.
For example, if you are friends or relatives with the defendant and you would like to preserve your relationship, you should let your attorney know before they file the claim. This way, your attorney can pursue an alternative dispute resolution mechanism that’ll yield an amicable solution. Or, if you plan to use the settlement as part of your retirement package, inform your attorney right away. Your lawyer will examine the details of your claim and the extent of your injuries to determine if the settlement will be enough to sustain you when you retire.
If your case takes a long time to settle, its dynamics might change over time, including your expectations. When these changes occur, communicate them to your lawyer so that they can make the necessary adjustments accordingly.
In short, how you communicate with your personal injury lawyer determines the success of your claim. The main aim of your attorney is to obtain the best possible compensation on your behalf.
For them to achieve this, they need all factual information about the incident–even the seemingly minute details have a major bearing on the direction your claim takes. So, be completely honest, clear, and factual when communicating with your personal injury lawyer in Columbia.
