The pandemic has caused radical shifts and transformations in many professions, industries, and sectors. Thus, professionals and workers alike have been forced to find new ways of doing their work and holding meetings because of the shelter in place policies. Lawyers and solicitors are among those significantly affected because courthouses in many places were closed. 

Solicitors had to find ways to meet with their clients who couldn’t go to their offices. In Ireland, there have been an increasing number of solicitors who offer to hold online or virtual consultations with some of their prospective clients. You might want to check out Ireland Solicitor and other similar sites to know more about virtual consultations. 

 

Here are some things to expect if you’re going to have a virtual consultation with a personal injury lawyer:

 

1. Expect To Tell Your Attorney In Detail What Happened

During a virtual consultation, the first thing that you should expect from a personal injury lawyer is a tell-all session. The personal injury lawyer giving you a virtual consultation will most likely ask you to tell him everything that happened that resulted in your injury. 

Your prospective lawyer will most likely insist that you tell them enough details about the car accident or physical incident. They’ll expect you to describe the details and elaborate on the circumstances. They need this to figure out whether you have a case against the person whose action or negligence led to your injury. 

It would help if you could provide as much information and details to your lawyer. Don’t wait for them to ask, though they will most certainly probe when they sense some gaps in your account. You can help save time by jotting down your thoughts and recollections before the virtual consultation starts. It doesn’t have to be long sentences and paragraphs. You can use bullet points or even just random scribbles.  

 

 2. Expect To Prepare Your Documents And Evidence

You should also expect to be asked whether you have any documents or other proof that could support your claims. With that said, you need to have evidence that can establish that your injury was caused by someone else’s fault or negligence. It is especially important if you’re going to claim damages beyond your actual expenses. 

Since it’s going to be a virtual consultation, you should be ready with scanned copies of your documents and scanned pictures of object evidence. The lawyer on the other end of the video call might have a hard time recognizing what’s written in your documents if you just flash them in front of your computer camera. With scanned documents, you can share the screen with your lawyer.  

Here are some of the documents that you should prepare and scan:

• A copy of your insurance policy if you have a current one. 
• Police accident report if applicable and available. 
• Pictures of where the incident happened, such as the scene of a vehicle collision, scene of accident, or damage caused to property. You should include pictures of your injury if they’re available. 
• Medical documents and records including x-ray results, CT scans for any head injuries, diagnosis, surgery results, prescriptions for medication, instructions for discharge, hospital bills and statements of account. 
• Names and contact information of people who saw what happened and could possibly take the stand as witnesses for you.  
• Your pay slips, W-2 stubs, certification of employment and income, and other means of establishing your monthly income. It can be used if you’re going to claim loss of wages during the time you couldn’t sport for work.

If it’s just an initial consultation, your lawyer might not have the time to thoroughly go through everything that you show to them. They might just browse through what you have to see if you have a basis to claim. It would at least give them a preliminary assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of your claims.  

 

3. Expect Verification And Probing Questions

Many lawyers have encountered all sorts of potential litigants during their initial consultations. Some of them may have also encountered people whose claims can be categorized as frivolous because they don’t have a strong basis to support their claims. There have also been some instances when individuals came up with falsified or exaggerated claims thinking they could make easy money quickly with the help of a personal injury lawyer. 

You should expect your prospective lawyer to verify some of your claims. They might also probe some parts and aspects of your narrative and claims. It is more likely to happen if you weren’t able to show them some document or other proof that what you’re saying is true. Expect some questions to probe whether you could be the one at fault for what happened. You shouldn’t take offense, especially if they’re just probing gaps in your narrative and statement of facts.  

It isn’t just about filtering valid and legitimate personal injury claims from frivolous claims. Your lawyer will be probing your story to have a better understanding of the impact of your injuries on your life and your daily activities. They’re going to ask whether you’re still able to do your means of livelihood as before. They’re going to ask whether you’re still able to do your household chores the way you did before the accident happened.

Conclusion

If you’ve been scheduled for an online or virtual consultation with a personal injury lawyer, there are things that you ought to know and keep in mind. You should write down your story or account of what happened so you can tell your lawyer about it with better recall. Be prepared to have scanned copies of your documents and scanned pictures of object evidence. You should also expect to be asked verifying and probing questions during the consultation.