Prepare for case review

What a consultation is for

An initial consultation is a structured first look: you describe what happened, the lawyer identifies what would need to be true for the situation to be reviewable, and together you decide whether records and expert review are warranted. It is not a decision point about the value of a case, and it is not a commitment in either direction.

Choosing a lawyer for the questions in your case

• Relevant experience. How much of the practice involves medical malpractice, and does that experience include situations like yours?
• Resources. These cases require records work and qualified experts. Who pays for that work as it proceeds, and how?
• Who does the work. Who will actually review the records, and who will you be talking to as it progresses?
• Communication. What does the firm's update rhythm look like during a review, and who is your point of contact?
• Conflicts. Are the providers involved ones the firm or its frequent experts have relationships with?
• Fees and expenses. What is the fee structure, and what happens to costs if the matter does not proceed? See how fees work.
• Next steps. After this conversation, what happens — who follows up, roughly when, and what should you be doing in the meantime?

What to bring

• A short chronology — dates, providers, events, in plain language. Organize the records you already have.
• Documents in your possession: discharge papers, results, portal messages, bills.
• A list of providers and facilities, including ones you saw only once.
• The effects of the injury, in your own words, with dates where you can.
• Your questions — including the ones that feel small.

Explaining what happened clearly

Keep three things separate as you prepare: what you remember, what a document shows, and what you believe but cannot yet support. Include the facts that cut against you as well as the ones that help — accuracy is the preparation. Preserve originals; work from copies.