What to Expect at Your First Appointment

I realize that the prospect of hiring a lawyer can be overwhelming. For many of my clients, I am the first lawyer that they have ever needed. For that reason, I will try to answer many of the common questions that prospective clients ask me over the telephone about what to expect at our first meeting:

• Q: How much will an initial consultation cost me?

  A: Nothing. Your initial consultation with me is free.

• Q: If I decide I would like to hire you and you decide to represent me, how much will it cost me?

  A: I work on a contingent-fee basis. What this means is, you don’t owe me any attorney fee unless I recover workers’ compensation benefits in your claim.

• Q: What should I bring with me to our initial consultation?

  A: Please bring with you all paperwork you have received from your employer, it’s representative (if any), and also from the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation or the Industrial Commission. Also, please bring any incident/ injury reports or witness statements you may have and any documents you received from a treating physician. Of course, you can bring with you any other documents which you believe are important and I would be happy to review them as well.

• Q: What issues can I expect to discuss at our initial consultation?

  A: After getting some background information from you, such as home and work addresses, I will ask you to tell me how your injury occurred. Some people find it helpful to write this down in advance so that I can review it.

Several common issues which arise in a workers’ compensation claim are: Were there any witnesses to the injury? When was the injury reported? When was the first treatment for the injury? Did the injured worker have any prior problems with the same diagnosis or body part? Of course, every case is different and there may be other issues which arise in your case.