Preparing For Your First Appointment with Garling and Co Lawyers

Once you have made your initial appointment, you should prepare as follows: 

• Add your appointments to your diary – Record and add reminders of the upcoming appointments.

• Leave plenty of time – This applies to travelling to in-person meetings or connecting online. You do not want to be unnecessarily stressed by unforeseen traffic or technology challenges.
• Write a list – The first meeting can be overwhelming. Write down everything you want to ask so you don’t have to rely on your memory.
• Bring a support person – You are welcome to bring a support person to your appointment. Just advise the lawyer of any additional people you want to be involved in the initial discussion.

Where possible, have available the following information: 

1. Date of accident.
2. The location and time of the accident.
3. A short summary of how the accident or circumstances occurred (if this is uncomfortable for you to talk about, write down the facts as best as you can).
4. Any claim numbers or insurer details of those involved in the claim.
5. Names and contact details of all your medical providers involved in your treatment.
6. Name and contact details of any witnesses to the accident.
7. Any police report and event numbers.
8. The names of any medications you are currently taking for your injuries.
9. Your Employer details at the time of the accident (including the legal name of your employer.
10. Details of the work you perform and your wages/salary at the time of the accident.
11. A summary of your time off work because of the injuries.
12. Any dispute notices or issues of contention currently on foot for the claim. For example, a Section 78 notice (issued in workers’ compensation matters), denial decisions, or review decisions issued by the Insurer.
13. Any correspondence from other solicitors involved in your matter.
14. Your Medicare and/or Centrelink number if you currently receive benefits from them.
15. Any statements or investigator reports relating to the accident.

At the appointment, your lawyer will want to make notes about the facts and circumstances of the accident and your work/home situation at the time of the accident. Having the above information available allows the lawyer to record the information needed efficiently and leaves more time to discuss your entitlements and questions.

Once the information has been collected, our lawyers will discuss the types of claims available to you, the compensation you can pursue, and the process. Legal fees and how they are paid for the work performed in your claim will be discussed during this meeting.

The lawyer will then review any specific questions or issues you have. If you are happy with the course of action proposed, immediately following the meeting, Garling and Co will open a file for you with an initial letter of advice, costs agreement and authority to act on your behalf.

We hope this article helps you in preparation for your upcoming appointment. Should you have any further questions, please contact our office at (02) 8329 9500 or visit our website www.garlingandco.com.au or complete a free case assessment by clicking here.