When injured people reach out, they’re often in pain, worried about bills, and unsure of what happens next. Your first job is to steady them, starting with a seamless intake process that explains the legal road ahead and answers their most pressing questions.
A strong personal injury intake should:
- Show empathy upfront. Acknowledge their stress and assure them you’re here to help.
- Clarify next steps. Outline the timeline: investigation, medical treatment, negotiations, and, if necessary, litigation.
- Set realistic expectations. Discuss likely case value ranges, typical durations, and how fees work.
- Collect key facts efficiently. Use plain-language forms or guided phone scripts to help clients feel less overwhelmed.
By combining compassion with clear information, you transform anxious callers into confident clients who trust you from the start.
1. Put Your Clients’ Needs First
Injured prospects don’t want to hunt for paperwork or type a novel just to talk with you.
Keep your online intake form short and clear:
- Name
- Phone
- Brief reason for contacting you
Use those basics to schedule a quick prescreen call where you gather case details and explain what happens next. If the matter isn’t a match for your firm, refer the caller to a trusted colleague or a relevant legal aid organization. That courteous hand-off leaves a positive impression, and they may remember your help when they need a different attorney in the future.
2. Give Clients the Details They Need—Up Front
During intake, listen first, then walk the client through how your firm works. Start with fees: explain contingency percentages, any filing costs they might advance, and exactly when they’ll owe money. Outline the payment methods—credit card, ACH, or a client portal invoice—and specify the billing schedule to avoid any surprises.
Next, set clear expectations for communication. Tell clients which channels you use (phone, email, portal messaging) and your typical response time—whether that’s within 24 hours or by the next business day. Share office hours and after-hours procedures for urgent questions. When clients know how and when they’ll hear from you, they feel informed and at ease long before the case begins.
Don’t Forget to Be Available for Questions!
Accessibility turns a good intake into a great client experience. Reserve a few minutes at the end of every intake call—and again during the formal consultation—for questions. Some prospects will be too overwhelmed to speak up, so share a brief FAQ sheet or link to a web page that covers common concerns (timeline, medical liens, case value).
Provide clients with a clear channel for follow-up questions—whether that’s an email address, a portal message, or a direct phone line—and inform them of the expected response time. The personal injury process may feel routine to you, but it’s unfamiliar territory for them. Prompt, reassuring answers reinforce trust and keep cases moving smoothly.
3. Set—and Keep—Realistic Expectations
Clear expectations prevent disappointment and build credibility. From the first call, be candid about the strengths and weaknesses of the case. If liability is shaky or damages are modest, say so; if a jury trial is unlikely and settlement is more realistic, explain why.
Once you accept the case, outline an expected range of value and timeline based on similar matters you’ve handled. For example, a straightforward fracture with clear negligence might resolve for five figures within a year, while a complex malpractice claim could take several years to reach six or seven figures. Revisit these estimates at key milestones so clients always know their current status and what's next.
Streamline Your Personal Injury Intake with Scorpion
Clients in crisis need a smooth, reassuring onboarding experience—one that removes friction instead of adding to their stress. Scorpion helps you deliver exactly that. Our team tailors marketing and intake workflows to your firm, providing you with tools that capture leads efficiently, gather the necessary case details, and keep prospects informed from the outset.
Ready to make a better first impression and increase signed cases? Talk with Scorpion and discover how an optimized intake process can elevate your practice.
