Should You Schedule a Free Consultation With a Montana Attorney?

What to expect and how to prepare for your free personal injury consultation with Murphy Law Firm

Following an accident or injury, you probably have lots of questions and concerns. But don’t let the confusion surrounding your legal rights regarding compensation for your injury paralyze you into inaction. The best way for accident victims to get the important and essential information they need to make a good decision regarding their compensation is by consulting an experienced and knowledgeable attorney.

Most reputable law firms that specialize in cases of personal injury, auto accidents, wrongful death, workers’ compensation and Social Security disability offer free initial consultations. During these consultations, you can learn more about your rights and get the information you need to make the right decision for you and your family.

Here at Murphy Law Firm, in addition to offering free consultations, we go above and beyond by making this meeting as informative, convenient and comfortable as possible.

What will happen when I call?

When you call us, you’ll be greeted by a friendly intake specialist who will give you the time of day by listening to your legal issue and gathering the important information we need to analyze your situation and move forward. If possible, we will immediately do a 20 to 30-minute phone interview. If you or our intake specialist aren’t immediately available for this interview, we’ll arrange a mutually convenient appointment time to call back as soon as possible.

Is the consultation in person or on the phone?

We offer both in-person and phone consultations since we represent injured Montanans statewide. However, if the client prefers to meet in person at our Great Falls office, we can certainly understand and accommodate that. Our office is generally open during regular business hours — 8:30am to 5:00pm, Monday thru Friday.

How long will the free consultation last?

Most consultations take about 30 minutes, though the exact amount of time it may last will depend on many factors, such as the complexity of your case and the questions you may have. We’re here for you, no matter how long it takes.

How soon will the meeting occur?

Most of our consultations happen within 24 hours of the inquiry. But again, we can be flexible to schedule a time that’s convenient for you. For instance, if you want to meet in person but have to take off work or travel from across the state, we’re happy to set a time and date that works for you. Just keep in mind that the sooner we discuss your case, the better. Most cases have a statute of limitations, so time is ticking.

Do I need to bring any documentation for this first meeting? If so, what should I bring?

We generally don’t need to see documents during this initial consultation. We’ll simply listen to your story, ask questions and share our evaluation of your case. However, if you choose to bring in claim documents, that can be very helpful.

Possible documents you can bring with you to the initial consultation include:

• Medical documents showing diagnosis and treatment
• Medical bills
• Insurance paperwork describing coverage, including your policy
• Any relevant letters or communications from insurance companies
• Police reports or accident reports
• Communications with your time of injury employer(s)
• Photos and videos of your injuries and accident details (adverse weather conditions, road, landscape, property damage, etc.)
• Narratives of events that took place immediately before, during, and after your accident or injury
• Witness statements from anyone who saw your accident or injury

What questions should I ask the lawyer?

While we don’t require you to ask anything of us (just answer our questions as directly and honestly as possible), you probably have many questions. We encourage you to write down these questions. In the event our firm believes we can assist you with your claim, you will have the opportunity to ask one of our attorneys — after all, that’s what we’re here for.

A few examples of questions you may want to ask us (or any lawyer) include:

• Have you handled similar cases before? If so, what was the outcome?
• Who will be assigned to my case?
• How soon can my lawsuit be filed?
• Do you think my case will go to trial, or be settled?
• What types of compensation am I entitled to?
• Are you comfortable going to trial?
• What are your accreditations and memberships?
• What expectations will you have of me?
• What are the fees for handling my case? How is payment structured?

What are you looking for in a consultation?

From our perspective, a perfect first meeting is an attentive prospective client who is willing to answer all questions asked and is organized with their information, timeline, and history. The individual should be able to convey their specific frustrations with their current situation and why they are seeking legal help. They will also be able to simultaneously provide organized claim information and documentation.

That said, we welcome all call-ins and don’t expect people to know exactly what’s going on or be super organized. That’s our job. We want to help anyone who is injured and not being fairly treated.

Contact us today for your free consultation.