Everything you need to know about meeting with our Georgia attorneys
There are many advantages to scheduling a legal consultation with an experienced and well-qualified attorney.
For starters, initial consultations at our law firm are completely free and no charge to you. During your free consultation with our knowledgeable attorneys, we’ll sit down with you, listen to you share your story, and give you our expert thoughts and opinions about your case based on our background and experience — at no charge or obligation to you. This meeting gives you a chance to meet us and see if you would like our help.
The consultation also gives us the opportunity to find out more about you and your legal problem. If we think we can help you, we’ll discuss what we believe needs to be done and the terms on which we will handle your case.
FAQ about initial attorney consultations
Will I get legal advice during the initial consultation?
During the consultation, we will offer our general thoughts, feedback and opinions, but we will not give specific legal advice or start working on your claim. That will only occur once an attorney-client relationship is established by signing a representation agreement or fee contract.
How long will the consultation take?
The length of the consultation will depend on the complexity of the legal matter being discussed. For cases that are more straightforward, the first meeting may not take too long. In more complex cases, the initial interview will usually last longer. No case, however, is simple or straightforward.
How should I prepare for the attorney consultation?
Before consulting with an attorney, you should make sure that you properly prepare by gathering any and all documents that are relevant to your case. It’s important to bring every document you have for the attorney to review. It’s better to be on the safe side by bringing more documents than necessary. We can determine which documents are relevant and which are not. The more information we have, the better we can evaluate your case.
In addition, we recommend writing down all of your questions on paper or your phone. Consultations cannot last forever, so it’s best for both you and the attorney to have your questions already prepared so that nothing is forgotten or overlooked. Make sure you bring up anything that you have been wondering or worried about.
What happens during the consultation process?
If you have a personal injury or workers’ compensation claim, a majority of the consultation will consist of giving your account of what happened during your accident, injury, or illness. We want to hear your side of the story.
During or after this description, the attorney will ask you detailed questions to obtain additional information and to gain a greater understanding of what happened. It’s best for everybody if the attorney has all the facts.
Will the attorney tell me how much representation costs during the consultation?
Most of our cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t collect a fee for our time spent representing you unless we secure a settlement or award. This allows people who otherwise might not be able to afford a lawyer to obtain skilled legal representation. It also gives the attorney incentive to work as hard as possible to get you the maximum compensation possible.
However, in some cases, the client is responsible for all necessary costs and expenses incurred when their claim is being handled by a law firm, whether or not there is a recovery. Certain cases cannot be handled on a contingency fee basis. In those instances, we will discuss how much it’s going to cost for us to pursue the legal matter on your behalf.
Examples of cases we do handle on a contingency fee basis include:
- Social Security disability (short-term and long-term)
- Personal injury (car and truck accidents, slip and falls, defective product, nursing home abuse, wrongful death, etc.)
- Workers’ compensation
Does the consultation establish an attorney-client relationship?
An initial consultation does NOT form an attorney-client relationship, as that isn’t formed until there is a signed representation agreement. That said, everything that you communicate with an attorney during the initial consultation will remain privileged and confidential, as if an attorney-client privilege had formed. Thus, you should always be honest and provide the attorney with all of the information you have, whether helpful or harmful, so that they may properly evaluate your case.
Schedule your free consultation with our Georgia injury attorneys
As one of Georgia’s oldest and most distinguished private practice, the law firm of Westmoreland, Patterson, Moseley & Hinson has earned its reputation by assisting injured and disabled clients for over 50 years. No business can survive for over half a century like we have without providing the very best in service, exhibiting the utmost skill, possessing valuable experience and achieving results.
Our attorneys are legal movers and shakers. We employ past presidents of the various Georgia legal bars, as well as past and current section leaders for various legal bar committees. Our members have founded NOSSCR for Social Security Disability, spoken at major law programs and given numerous lectures to judges, lawyers and consumers regarding all of the firm’s various practice areas of law.
If you have questions about a personal injury, workers’ compensation or Social Security matter, we hope you will call us toll-free at (800) 688-1651 or locally at (478) 464-5100. You can also reach out to us by filling out a contact form. We look forward to hearing from you!
