Injury Lawyer Consultation: Prepare a One-Page Brief

Start with the incident and current stage

Write the incident date, place and a short factual account. Mark estimates as estimates. Add whether you have reported the event, contacted an insurer, received a decision or already instructed another firm. Put any date printed on a letter near the top and ask the lawyer to assess it promptly. A summary should never be a reason to postpone an urgent enquiry.

List documents instead of attaching everything

Create an index with document name, date and who holds it. Useful categories can include an incident reference, medical certificate, insurer letter and employment record. Ask for conflict checks and a secure delivery method before sending sensitive files. A folder of originals can remain separate from the short summary, so the first reader can request what is actually needed.

Describe practical effects without predicting damages

Record changes to work, treatment appointments, expenses and help needed at home in your own words. Distinguish what you remember from what a document says. A symptom or expense record is useful preparation; it is not proof of a legal entitlement. Avoid filling gaps with guesses or copying a compensation figure from another person’s case.

Finish with the decision you need help making

Ask whether the firm handles this type of matter and jurisdiction, who would assess it, what the consultation costs and what work follows if you engage it. The NSW solicitor referral service advises checking the first appointment cost before booking. Confirm separately whether a firm has accepted responsibility for any deadline; a booking alone should not be your basis for that assumption.

Frequently asked questions