Our first meeting with a new client is a free consultation, whether the case is a car crash, a fall or another of the personal injury cases we handle. It works best when you bring the papers you already have and a short timeline of what happened. This guide lists what helps most, why each item matters, and where to get it if you do not have it yet.
Our office is at 315 East Cotati Avenue in Cotati, open Monday to Thursday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, with evening and weekend appointments available on request. You can read about the people you will meet on our Meet the Team page.
How does a first meeting work, step by step?
- You reach us by phone or through the contact form. We ask a few basic questions: what happened, when, where, and who else was involved, so we can see whether a deadline is close.
- You gather what you have. Use the table below. If something is missing, bring the name of the office that has it; records can be requested later.
- We go through your timeline. The date of the injury, the treatment since, and every contact with an insurance company.
- We look at deadlines first. Most injury lawsuits are due within two years (Code of Civil Procedure 335.1), but a claim against a public agency is due in writing within six months (Government Code 911.2).
- We explain your options. That may be a claim with an insurer, a claim through your own policy, a government claim, or a lawsuit, and what each one would involve.
- If you decide to hire a lawyer, the agreement is put in writing. California law sets out what a contingency fee agreement must say, as explained below.
What should I bring, and where do I get it?
| Bring | Why it matters | Where to get it, if you do not have it |
|---|---|---|
| Date, time and exact place of the injury | Sets every deadline and decides which agency, insurer and court are involved | Your own notes, phone photos (they carry a date), or the report |
| Police, CHP or incident report number | Names the parties, witnesses and insurers; often the first thing an adjuster asks for | The agency that responded; people with a proper interest, such as a driver or injured person, may get a copy for no more than the actual cost (Vehicle Code 20012) |
| Your copy of the DMV SR-1, if you filed one | Required within 10 days for a crash with injury, death, or over $1,000 in damage (Vehicle Code 16000) | Your own records, or the insurance agent who filed it for you |
| Insurance letters, claim numbers and adjusters' names | Shows what has been said, any recorded statement, and any time limit the insurer mentioned | Your mail and email; your own policy declarations page |
| Photos and video | Shows the scene, the hazard or vehicles, and your injuries as they healed | Your phone; ask witnesses to send theirs |
| Names and phone numbers of witnesses | Memories fade; a witness is easier to reach in the first weeks | The report, or your own notes from the scene |
| List of doctors, hospitals and pharmacies | Needed to request records and bills | Providers must send copies within 15 days of a written request (Health and Safety Code 123110) |
| Bills, receipts and proof of missed work | Supports the money part of the claim | Billing offices; your employer or pay stubs |
| Anything you were asked to sign | A release can end your claim, and its wording decides what you give up | Bring it unsigned |
What if I do not have the crash or incident report yet?
Come anyway. Many people do not have the report at a first meeting, and it is often still being completed. The report number, or the name of the agency that came, is enough to start. Vehicle Code section 20012 lets the people involved in a crash, and others with a proper interest, get a copy, and caps the fee at the actual cost of providing it.
Which office has it depends on where the crash happened. A crash on Highway 101 or a county road usually goes to the CHP, while one on a city street usually goes to that city's police. Our guide on how to get a crash report in Sonoma County lists each office and its process.
For a fall at a store or another business, there may be an incident report the business wrote. You may not have a copy, but note whether one was made and the name of the employee who took it. Our guide on what to do in the first week after a fall at a store explains what else to note.
Is what I tell the lawyer kept confidential?
Yes. California's lawyer-client privilege lets a client refuse to disclose, and prevent others from disclosing, a confidential communication with their lawyer (Evidence Code 954). It covers the consultation itself, even before any agreement is signed, because a "client" includes a person who consults a lawyer to get legal advice.
A communication stays confidential when it is shared only with the lawyer and with people present to further your interest in the consultation (Evidence Code 952). If a family member comes with you to help, for example to drive you or to help you remember dates, say so at the start.
What will the lawyer ask me?
Expect questions about how the injury happened, what you remember right before and after, whether anyone apologized or said why it happened, and whether you have talked to any insurance company. You will also be asked about your treatment: who you have seen, what they told you, and whether you had any earlier injury to the same part of your body.
Be complete, even about things that seem to hurt your case, such as not wearing a seat belt or looking at a phone. Honest answers let the lawyer judge the case accurately, and they stay confidential. If the question of shared fault comes up, our guide on recovering when you were not wearing a seat belt shows how California handles it.
What should I know about a fee agreement?
If you hire a lawyer on a contingency fee, California law requires the agreement to be in writing, signed by both of you, with a copy for you. It must state the agreed fee rate, how costs and expenses will affect the fee and your recovery, and, for most cases, that the fee is not set by law and can be negotiated. An agreement that leaves these out can be voided by the client, and the lawyer is then entitled only to a reasonable fee (Business and Professions Code 6147).
Read it before you sign, and ask about anything that is not clear. To see what else usually comes out of a recovery, such as medical liens, read our guide on what comes out of a personal injury settlement.
What changes the answer?
A city, county, school or the State may be responsible. Bring every date you can, because the written claim is due within six months (Government Code 911.2). Our guide on filing a claim against a city or county explains what that claim must include.
A family member died. Bring the death certificate if you have one and a list of close family. The people who may bring a wrongful death claim are set by Code of Civil Procedure 377.60; see our guide on who can file a wrongful death claim.
You were hurt at work. Bring any workers' compensation claim form and letters from the claims administrator, because a crash or fall on the job can involve both workers' compensation and a claim against someone else. Our guide on a crash while working explains how the two fit together.
The other driver had no insurance. Bring your own auto policy, since uninsured motorist coverage under your policy may be the main source of payment (Insurance Code 11580.2).
You were asked to sign a release. Bring it unsigned. Civil Code 1542 sets the rule for general releases and claims you do not know about yet, and the exact wording of a release decides what you give up.
What could this look like? An example
For example, imagine someone who was hit by a delivery van while crossing a street in Petaluma three weeks ago. She has a police report number but no copy, two letters from the van company's insurer, phone photos of the intersection, and a list of the urgent care clinic and the physical therapist she has seen.
At the meeting, the timeline shows the crash date and that the city maintains the crosswalk signal, so the six-month date for any claim against the City is written down first. The insurer's letter asks for a recorded statement; she has not given one yet. The lawyer explains how the report can be requested, which medical records to ask for, and whether her own auto policy's coverage could apply while she was walking. She leaves with a short list of papers to gather. This example is made up to show how a first meeting can work; it says nothing about any real case.
What mistakes do people make before a first meeting?
- Waiting until every record arrives, while the six-month or two-year deadline keeps running.
- Signing a release or a medical authorization from the other side's insurer before anyone has read it.
- Giving a recorded statement to the other side's insurer before understanding the claim.
- Leaving out an earlier injury or a past claim, which usually comes out later in the records.
- Throwing away damaged items, such as a broken bike helmet or the shoes worn in a fall.
- Posting about the injury or the case on social media.
What should I do this week?
- Write a one-page timeline: the date, the place, what happened, and every doctor visit since.
- Find the report number and the name of the agency or business that made the report.
- Put every insurance letter, claim number and adjuster's name in one folder.
- Save photos and videos to a second place, such as a computer or cloud folder.
- Send written record requests to your providers and note the date of each request.
- Read our guide on how long a personal injury case takes so you know what to expect next.
- Call to set up the meeting; you do not have to wait until the folder is complete.
Frequently asked questions
Does the first meeting cost anything?
No. Our first consultation is free. It is a chance to explain what happened, learn which deadlines apply and decide what to do next.
Can I meet outside normal office hours?
Yes. Our office is open Monday to Thursday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and evening or weekend appointments are available on request.
Should I bring a family member?
You may, especially if they help you remember dates or were there when it happened. Confidentiality covers people present to further your interest in the consultation (Evidence Code 952), so tell the lawyer at the start why they are there.
Do I need my medical records before the meeting?
No. A list of where you were treated is enough. Records can be requested later, and providers must send copies within 15 days of a written request (Health and Safety Code 123110).
I already talked to the other driver's insurer. Is that a problem?
Not by itself. Bring any notes of what you said and any letters you received, and say whether the call was recorded. The lawyer can then decide how to handle further contact.
How do I choose the right lawyer?
Ask about experience with your kind of case, who will work on it day to day, and how the fee agreement works. Our article on finding the right legal representation in California has more questions to ask.
If you are ready to talk about your injury, contact Young Law Group today at (707) 343-0556 or through our contact page to set up a free consultation.
Sources
- Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1 (two years for an injury or death)
- Government Code section 911.2 (six-month claim to a public entity)
- Vehicle Code section 20012 (who may get a crash report, and its cost)
- Vehicle Code section 16000 (the 10-day DMV report, form SR-1)
- Health and Safety Code section 123110 (copies of medical records within 15 days)
- Evidence Code section 954 (lawyer-client privilege)
- Evidence Code section 951 (who counts as a client, including a person consulting a lawyer)
- Evidence Code section 952 (what makes a communication confidential)
- Business and Professions Code section 6147 (what a contingency fee agreement must say)
- Civil Code section 1542 (general releases and unknown claims)
- Code of Civil Procedure section 377.60 (who may bring a wrongful death claim)
- Insurance Code section 11580.2 (uninsured motorist coverage)
