IF YOU’VE BEEN involved in an accident you should absolutely consider hiring a personal injury attorney; naturally, many victims can feel intimidated or nervous about visiting a lawyer’s office for the first time.

However, there is no need to worry. Your attorney is your strongest advocate and best chance at recovering compensation due to your injuries.

Expect the Meeting to be Fairly Short

Your case is important and it’s important to your lawyer, too. Most initial consultations last about one hour. While that may not seem like enough time, an experienced lawyer knows what questions to ask to make that hour efficient and productive.

Expect Questions – Lots of Questions

In your consultation meeting, your attorney will ask you a number of questions; basic “who-, what-, when-type” questions. Specifically, in a personal injury case, a lawyer will also want to know the details of the accident. Other pertinent information needed includes some specifics about your insurance policy, injuries, and financial losses. Not to be forgotten is one of the biggest impacts of an accident: how the injury affected you emotionally. Takeaway: expect questions about your physical, mental, and financial health.

While it may seem unsettling giving personal information to a person you’ve just met, set aside any worry. First, Michigan ethic rules require all attorneys – even those you may not ultimately engage — to maintain the “attorney-client” privilege. The attorney-client privilege, with very specific exceptions, prevents members of the Michigan State Bar from discussing your case or its details with anybody. Takeaway: don’t hold back because the specifics matter; a licensed attorney will keep everything confidential.

Most importantly, your potential attorney will be unable to properly evaluate your case unless you provide a true and complete story. Holding back information, or changing a fact that seems minor, might cause your attorney to provide bad information. A good attorney will give you an honest evaluation, but no attorney can do this without all the facts.

Expect to Be Asked for Documents and Other Proof

Not only will you be asked many questions, but your attorney will likely request any proof you have or can get access to (see list of examples below). Before calling for an attorney consultation, or visiting the office, make sure you have these items at the ready.

Examples Some things that lawyers often ask for include:

• Communications from insurance companies
• A list of witnesses
• Messages from witnesses
• Pictures of the accident scene
• Pictures showing injuries to you or others
• Pictures showing property damage
• Medical records
• Medical bills
• Police reports
• Records of missed work
• Records of lost wages
• Records of normal wages (e.g. paystubs, W2, receipts)

While not a complete list, it gives you a rough idea of items you’ll need to gather in order to support your claim.

“Loose Lips Sink Ships” (Expect to Be Asked Who You’ve Spoken To)

While the statements you make to your attorney are confidential, things you may have said to others are not. You might have said something about the accident that might hurt your recovery without even knowing it. Your attorney may or may not be able to undo potential damage, but your attorney needs to know what was said and to whom in order to evaluate whether comments made could adversely affect your claim.

Expect an Evaluation and Explanation

Toward the end of your first meeting with a personal injury attorney, the lawyer should be able to tell you the pros and cons of your case. (Note: lawyers cannot, nor should, promise certain outcomes; they can only tell you what they expect, based on past experiences.) The lawyer may offer to take your case on the spot. However, you are under no obligation to agree; you have the right to both visit other attorneys. Takeaway: take time to evaluate the consultation before making a final decision.

Similarly, while some attorneys agree to take cases during a consultation, others may want to take a little time to decide. Note: If the lawyer chooses not to take your case, it is not your fault; there might be many reasons such as conflicts of interest or an inability to devote the time necessary to be the best advocate you deserve. Takeaway: Feel free to visit another office and get another opinion.

Expect to Talk About Money

You can expect the attorney to talk about money, including fees. The attorney should explain – in clear language – how the billing process works. The attorney should explain their hourly rate, charges for items such as investigations, ordering records, or even making copies. Note: Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingent fee basis, which means they receive a portion of any amount you recover after the lawsuit. (However, even in this arrangement, some attorneys still charge clients for certain costs.) Be prepared to ask the attorney specific questions about billing practices.

Be Prepared to Sign Documents

If you decide to engage your attorney after consultation, be prepared to sign documents. Signing a retainer or representation agreement will make the attorney your “official” legal representative in your case. Your lawyer may also ask you to sign releases allowing them to access insurance information, medical records, and other items.

Hopefully, this article has given you some insight answered about what to expect at your consultation visit to a personal injury attorney.

If you have more questions or need to speak to an experienced personal injury attorney, contact the Law Offices of Turner & Turner. Founding member Buzz Turner has more than 30 years of experience as an advocate for clients injured in vehicle-associated accidents, medical malpractice, and other personal injury claims.

Call Turner Law today for your free consultation at (248) 248-355-1727, email Turner Law or visit the Firm’s website.

The first observance of Labor Day most likely took place on September 5, 1882, when 10,000 workers gathered in New York City for a parade.  That celebration sparked others to hold similar events nationwide, and by 1894, more than half of the states were observing a “workingmen’s holiday.”  Later that year, Congress passed legislation and President Grover Cleveland signed a bill into law stating that the first Monday in September was designated as “Labor Day.”  This national holiday pays tribute to the social and economic achievements of American workers.

Who are American workers?

As of May 2013, there are 155.7 million people over the age of 16 in the country’s labor force. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Statistics)

Retail salespeople by far dominate the workforce, numbering 4,340,000, with cashiers, food preparation and service workers, waiters and waitresses, office clerks, nurses, secretaries/administrative assistants, custodial workers and customer service representatives not far behind in numbers.

Some other interesting labor statistics…

Fastest Growing Jobs: 

Analysts expect that the job category of Personal Care Aide to grow 70% from 2010 to 2020

The occupation expected to add more positions over this period than any other is registered nurses (711,900).

We hope you had a happy Labor Day!

Source: The United States Census Bureau

Mayer, a mother herself, made this announcement seven months after giving birth to her baby boy back in September of 2012, and two months after facing sharp criticism for ending Yahoo’s work-from-home policy.

Now, Yahoo will be offering up 16 weeks of paid maternity leave to new mothers, as well as a $500 bonus to help with costs such as diapers and baby clothes.  Fathers benefit from Yahoo’s new policy as well, with eight weeks of paid leave.

It’s the paid nature of Yahoo’s maternity leave policy that is important – currently, for a company of that size, they would be obligated under the federally mandated Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to provide a new parent with up to 12 weeks of unpaid  leave, still guaranteeing the parent a job at a similar level when s/he returns to work.  So the 16 weeks offered by Yahoo is not only a month longer than the FMLA requires, but it also pays an employee’s salary during the leave time.

If you are a new parent, or if a baby is in your immediate or long-term future, you should know how the FMLA laws affect you, and what rights you have under this law.  Here is some more information about how the Family Medical Leave Act works to protect you:

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) protects employees from discrimination.  If you have been denied a leave of absence or have been terminated because of a medical leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, or the serious health condition of a family member, you may have a remedy under the Family Medical Leave Act.  An employee is eligible for and must be granted FMLA leave after he has been employed by the employer for a total of 12 or more months, and has worked (not including paid time off such as sick leave or vacation) at least 1,250 hours in the year preceding the requested leave of absence.

An employee’s leave of absence qualifies as FMLA leave when It is taken for any of the following reasons:

• The employee’s serious health condition
• To care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition; or
• For the birth of a child, or the placement of a child for adoption or foster care

If you or a loved one have suffered an adverse employment action due to a medical leave, maternity leave, or serious health condition, you may have a case under the FMLA.  Turner & Turner is here to help.

Happy Mother’s Day!