5 Tips for Talking to Your Lawyer
If you are claiming workers compensation, going through a chapter 7 bankruptcy or are making a disability claim, chances are, you’re talking to a lot of lawyers, these days. The better you know how to talk to your lawyer, the higher your chance of a successful outcome. Here a few tips for effectively communicated with your attorneys.
Be Organized and Prepared
Make sure that you have a clear and concise story of what happened to you. The best way to do that is to write down every single part of the event as soon as you can so that you do not forget or the details don’t become foggy. From start to finish, you should take note of every single thing that happened. Don’t leave anything out. Some things may not seem important to you but good lawyers can pick up on even the smallest things. You should also keep a folder of legal documents. Have a list of witnesses and contact information. Organize everything in your folder to give to your lawyer. He or she doesn’t want a ton of scraps and bits of paper for them to make sense of. Handing over a well organized binder will not only help the lawyer to sort through the information but it will show him or her that you are serious about your case and will do what it takes to win.
Be Detailed and Specific
I briefly mentioned that you should add in every single detail that you remember. In law, everything matters. Your attorneys aren’t going to be with you every second of every day so it’s important that they can see the entire picture, even though they weren’t there. They will need specifics such as names, dates and locations as well as times. Make sure all of the information that you share is correct, otherwise the opposing party will find a way to twist it or throw it out all together. Every variable of your case has the possibility of being the smoking gun that your lawyers needed to help you win your case. Don’t underestimate any details.
Be Honest and Open
Being honest and open is the most important thing you can do. There’s no point in lying, it’s going to get found out. If you are going through a court case, every detail of your life and situation are going to gone through with a fine toothed comb from both sides. When you start leaving out information because you are embarrassed or it is incriminating, you are only setting yourself up for failure. The more your attorneys know, the more they can come up with a defense. This will also allow them the opportunity to give you good legal advice and guidance when needed to make sure that you have a positive outcome from the whole ordeal.
Be Informative and Up to Date
Things change, it happens. However, when it does, you need to inform your attorneys of the updated information. Each development could make dramatic changes to your case for better or for worse and your lawyer needs to know about it before the opposing party does. Keep in contact with your lawyer regularly, even if your case is taking a long time. Letting them know of every slight thing that changes in your life may seem mundane but your lawyer will be able to grab hold of anything that is relevant. Who knows? Maybe this new information could lead to you finally winning your case and being done with it, once and for all.
Ask Questions and Clarify
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You need to make sure that you understand all the legal jargon and everything that your lawyer is trying to tell you. The law can be confusing so just let your lawyer know that you are getting lost and they will do what they can to help you to understand what is going on. Sometimes all you need is a clarification to help you catch up. In any case, your lawyer isn’t the only one who should know what is going on. You should never be left in the dark so speak up if you don’t understand something. This is your life that is on the line, here.
