A first call with a personal injury attorney is a fact-finding conversation, not a courtroom scene. The lawyer needs to learn what happened, who was hurt, and whether the firm can help. You do not need a perfect story or a complete file before you dial. You do need a few dates, the names you already have, and a plain account of the injury. This guide explains how to prepare for that call at the Law Offices of Michelle Choe.
What a Personal Injury Attorney Needs on the First Call
The first conversation is short on purpose. Attorney Michelle Choe uses it to see whether the facts fit a personal injury matter the firm handles. She also uses it to decide whether a longer review is worth your time. She is not asking you to prove the whole case during that phone call.
Come ready to cover four points:
- When and where it happened, with the city and a rough time of day.
- How you were hurt, in everyday words, not medical terms.
- Who else was involved, such as another driver, a property owner, or a company.
- What care you have had so far, even if it was only an urgent care visit.
The firm focuses on auto accidents, slip and fall injuries, premises liability, and wrongful death. If your situation is one of those, say so at the start. If you are not sure which label fits, describe the place and the hazard instead. A wet floor in a store and a crash on a Glendale street lead to different questions, and naming the setting saves time.
You can also say what language you prefer. Consultations are available in English or Korean. If a family member will join the call to help with details, mention that when you book. It is easier to schedule a few extra minutes than to rush through names and dates.
Gather These Facts Before You Call
You do not need every record on day one. A short set of notes is enough for a useful first conversation. If something is missing, write "unknown" next to it and move on. Guessing a date or a name can create confusion later.
| What to have | Why it helps | If you do not have it yet | | -------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------- | | Date, time, and place. | Sets the timeline and the location. | Give the closest day and the cross streets. | | Names and contact details. | Identifies the other driver, owner, or witness. | Share a plate number, company, or photo of a card. | | How you were hurt. | Shows which body parts were injured. | Describe pain and the first place you sought care. | | Treatment so far. | Connects the injury to visits and time off work. | List clinics, dates, and whether you missed work. | | Insurance contacts already made. | Flags recorded statements and early offers. | Note the company and whether you signed anything. | | Photos or a report number. | Preserves the scene while memories are fresh. | Say what you photographed and where it is saved. |
Put the notes in one place: a phone note, a single email, or a paper page. During the call, you will be asked to retell the story once. Hunting through text threads makes that harder than it needs to be.
Photos of the scene, your injuries, damaged property, and any warning signs are useful, but do not send a large folder before anyone asks. Mention that the photos exist and where they are saved. If a police report exists, the report number is enough for the first call. Medical bills can wait until the firm confirms it can review the matter.
If you already gave a recorded statement to an insurer, say that plainly. You do not need to recap every word. The fact that a recording exists is the point. The same is true of a written release, a check, or an app message you sent to the other driver.
What to Say, and What to Skip
Tell the story in the order it happened. Start with where you were, what you were doing, and what changed in that moment. Then describe the injury and the first care you received. A clear sequence is easier to follow than a long speech that jumps around.
Stick to what you saw and felt. A plain line such as "the floor was wet near the entrance" beats a theory about who should have mopped. "My neck started hurting that night" beats a guessed diagnosis. If you do not know something, say so.
A few habits make the call harder:
- Do not guess speeds, distances, or fault percentages.
- Do not downplay pain to sound polite, and do not exaggerate it.
- Do not argue about what the other person deserves.
- Do not ask the lawyer to promise a dollar amount on the first call.
- Do not treat the call as a fight. It is an interview about facts.
People often worry they will say the wrong thing. The safer path is to stay with facts you can check later. That means a date, a photo, a clinic visit, or a missed shift. Opinions about the other driver can wait. So can advice you heard from a friend or a comment thread.
Bring a calendar if you can. Injury care often stacks up within days. You may have an urgent care visit, a follow-up, a missed shift, and a call from an insurer. Reading those dates from a calendar is clearer than rebuilding the week from memory. If a symptom started later, say when you first noticed it. Delayed pain is common after a crash. Leaving it out does not help the conversation.
You should also mention any limit that changed daily life. Examples include trouble lifting a child, driving, sleeping, or finishing a shift. Those details tell the lawyer how the injury shows up outside a clinic note. You do not need to rank the pain on a scale unless you are asked.
If a relative is helping because English or Korean is stronger for them, let that person add names and dates, then confirm the injury in your own words. The lawyer still needs to hear how you were hurt, not only how someone else remembers it.
Questions Worth Asking a Personal Injury Attorney
The call runs both ways. You are also deciding whether this lawyer is a fit. Write three or four questions down so you do not forget them once the story is underway. You do not need a long list.
1. Do you handle this type of injury, and will you be the person I talk with? 2. What do you still need from me after this call? 3. How does a free case review work, and when would fees apply? 4. How will you keep me updated if the firm takes the matter on?
At this firm, personal injury work is handled on a contingency fee, which means no attorney fee unless there is a recovery. The first consultation is free. That arrangement differs from lemon law matters, where the manufacturer may pay the attorney fee. Ask which path your facts fall under so you are not mixing the two.
It is also fair to ask what the firm does not need yet. Many people arrive thinking they must have every bill, a full police report, and a treatment plan. Often the next step is simply a copy of one record or a clearer photo. Knowing that keeps the week after the call from turning into a paperwork scramble.
For a fuller picture of what counsel does after you hire someone, read the firm's guide to hiring a personal injury lawyer. This page stays with the first conversation only. If you are still unsure the facts support a claim at all, start with how to tell whether you may have a personal injury case.
How the Free Case Review Works
You can call or write the office at 323-612-5002 or michelle\@michellechoelaw\.com, or use the case review form. The public contact form asks for your name, phone, email, case type, and a short background. Choose Personal Injury if the harm came from a crash, a fall, or unsafe property.
Submitting a form does not create an attorney-client relationship. Neither does a first phone call. The firm will tell you if it can take a closer look. Until that happens, keep caring for your health and hold onto the notes and photos you already gathered.
The office is at 201 N. Brand Blvd, Suite 200, Glendale, CA 91203. Michelle Choe represents clients throughout California, with local emphasis in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. A Glendale address does not limit the call to one city. If the incident happened elsewhere in the state, say so during the call.
Use the background box for facts, not a demand. Two or three sentences are enough: the date, the place, how you were hurt, and whether you have seen a doctor. The personal injury practice overview lists the matter types the firm reviews. If the harm followed a crash, the note on what to do after a California car accident covers scene and insurance steps that sit outside this call.
If you want the conversation in Korean, say that in the form or at the start of the call. The firm serves clients in English and Korean, and Korean-speaking help in Glendale is part of how the office works. You should not have to translate your own injury into a second language just to be understood.
After the Call
Leave the conversation with one clear next step, such as sending a single photo, confirming a clinic name, or waiting to hear whether the firm can review the matter. Write that next step down before you hang up, so it does not get lost after the call ends.
Keep treating the injury and follow the care you were given. Gaps in treatment are hard to explain later, and they are separate from anything you say on a legal call. Save new bills, discharge papers, and work notes in the same folder as your first set of facts.
Do not post a play-by-play on social media. Do not sign a release or cash a check from an insurer while you are still deciding on legal help. If someone asks you for a recorded statement, you can wait until you have talked with a lawyer. Ask the caller for a name, a company, and what they want before you agree to anything.
Timing still matters because California injury claims have deadlines, and waiting until every bill arrives can cut into the time you have. The firm's overview of California personal injury deadlines is the place for those dates. This guide does not restate them. If you are close to a deadline, say that on the call so it is not discovered late.
If you were hurt because of someone else's actions, request a free case review or call [323-612-5002](tel:3236125002). Bring the notes you gathered and the questions you wrote down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a lawyer before I call a personal injury attorney?
No. The first call is how you find out whether a lawyer should be involved at all. Bring the date, the place, how you were hurt, and any care you have already had. Missing papers should not stop you from making that call.
Will the first call cost money?
The initial consultation at the Law Offices of Michelle Choe is free. Personal injury representation uses a contingency fee, so there is no attorney fee unless there is a recovery. Ask during the call how that fee applies to your facts.
What should I not say on the first call?
Skip guesses about speed, fault, or a specific dollar figure. Do not exaggerate the pain, and do not dismiss it just to sound polite. Stay with what you saw, what you felt, and which records you already have.
Can I call if I prefer Korean?
Yes. You can request the conversation in Korean when you book the call. A family member may join if you want help with dates and names. The injury itself should still be described in your own words during that conversation.
Does a form or a phone call make the firm my lawyer?
No. Sending the contact form, or speaking with the office once, does not create an attorney-client relationship. The firm will tell you whether it can review the matter and what it needs next from you.
This article is general information about preparing for a first conversation. It is not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. For official court information, see the California Courts Self-Help Center.