When a poorly designed or defective product causes harm, the injured party can usually put together a strong case for compensation. Since they have enough to worry about, though—and building a claim isn’t exactly easy—it’s wise to seek legal counsel.
If you were hurt while using a product as instructed and you’re planning on consulting an attorney, you’re probably wondering what to expect. Generally speaking, you’ll spend the first meeting discussing what happened, so your lawyer can determine how best to proceed.
To ensure this consultation is as productive as possible, you should be prepared to answer the following:
Your legal team will want you to walk them through what happened. When discussing the incident at this stage, no detail is too small to include. After all, there’s no way to be sure what might end up influencing the trajectory of your claim so early in the game.
Since the memory is notoriously unreliable, especially as time goes on, it’s wise to write down everything that happened leading up to the accident as soon as possible. You will then have a handy document you can refer to—in your own words—during the initial consultation.
Did someone call an ambulance for you immediately following the accident? Or did you wait a few days—or a few weeks—to seek care?
Once you started treatment, how did it go? What kinds of tests and procedures did your doctors perform? What is your prognosis? How long will it be before you make a full recovery?
Your legal team will want to know the answers to these kinds of questions because the severity of your injuries will have a major impact on the extent of the damages and, consequently, the value of your claim.
Did the manufacturer reach out to you after the accident? If so, what did they say?
Or perhaps you received a letter about a recall before the incident? If that’s the case, your attorney will want to see the document. Try to preserve any correspondence you’ve had with the opposing party, so your legal team can review it.
Are you unable to perform simple tasks like meal preparation or housekeeping? Do you rely on loved ones to assist with daily essentials like bathing and grooming? Much like the severity of your injuries, the ways in which your condition is affecting your quality of life is going to influence the value of your claim.
Backed by more than 50 years of experience in the legal field, our team at Hodge & Langley Law Firm is equipped to take on even the largest manufacturers. If you were seriously hurt by a defective product, we’ll use all the resources at our disposal to help you seek justice. To schedule a free initial consultation with a product liability attorney in South Carolina, submit our Contact Form or call 864-585-3873.
Submission of information in this contact form does not establish an attorney-client relationship. In order to establish such a relationship with our firm we require a direct meeting with the attorney.
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