Your first meeting with a compensation solicitor, Catherine Field

There's a difference between talking to a solicitor and engaging one. A first conversation lets you both work out whether they can help. Engaging them is the step where you agree, in writing, that they'll work on your claim and how their costs will be dealt with. Until you sign that agreement, you're generally free to take your time, ask questions or speak with someone else.

You don't have to find a solicitor on your own. After a free claim check, if your case calls for legal help, we can put you in touch with an independent solicitor who works on these claims. The first conversation is a chance to see whether you're comfortable with them. If you're not, you can say so. Engaging a solicitor is always your decision, and so is the timing.

A costs disclosure is the solicitor's written explanation of how they'll charge. In most cases it describes the basis of their fees, an estimate of what the matter may cost overall, and other expenses that may come up along the way, such as medical reports. Read it carefully even if it looks like standard wording. If an estimate or term doesn't make sense to you, ask before going further.

Once you're comfortable with the disclosure, you'll usually be asked to sign a costs agreement. This is the contract between you and the solicitor about costs. There's no need to sign it on the day you receive it. Read it in your own time, ask someone you trust to look over it, and write down your questions. A solicitor should be willing to explain any clause in plain English.

A video meeting covers the same ground as one across a desk. The solicitor can see your documents if you hold them up or share your screen, and you can see them as you talk. If video is hard for you, a phone call works too. Many people find it easier to concentrate in familiar surroundings, especially while they're still recovering.

Before a remote meeting, check the technology rather than the dress code. Test the video link, charge your phone and have your documents within reach. If a family member is helping you, let the solicitor know they're joining. Afterwards, you'll generally receive a summary or the next documents by email, which you can read in your own time.

A first meeting is mostly the solicitor getting a clear picture of your claim. You'll talk through what happened and where things stand with the insurer, and they'll read the documents you bring and check the key dates. Towards the end, they'll usually say whether and how they can help, how their costs work and what they would do first if you engage them.

You generally don't have to decide anything at the first meeting. It's common to take the costs documents away, read them properly and come back with questions. If you'd like a family member or friend with you for support, that's usually fine; let the solicitor know beforehand. Some people write down the answers as they go, since a lot of information arrives at once.

• Checks whether any deadline is close
• Reads the insurer's letters and decisions
• Notes which records are missing
• Explains how their costs are worked out

Once you engage a solicitor, they'll usually tell the insurer that they're acting for you. From then on, most letters and requests about the claim will generally go through them. That doesn't cut you off from the insurer entirely, and it doesn't mean you stop receiving payments or treatment approvals. It simply means the formal side of the claim now has someone checking it.

You can usually still speak to your case manager about everyday things, such as treatment requests, payment dates or travel costs. For anything more formal, like a request for a statement, an assessment or a signature, check with your solicitor first. It also helps to tell them about any calls you've had with the insurer, so their file stays complete.

Early on, a solicitor builds the file. That usually means requesting medical and hospital records, getting copies of what the insurer holds and has decided, and checking which deadlines apply to your claim. If a decision was made recently, they'll look at whether a review needs to be sought quickly. You'll usually be asked to sign a few authorities to make those requests possible.

By the end of the first few weeks, you should generally have a clearer idea of the plan. That might include which records are still to come, which decisions could be challenged, what medical evidence may be needed and when the next contact will be. If you haven't heard anything about next steps, it's reasonable to ask. A short email is usually enough.

• A request to the insurer for copies of its file
• A check of every deadline that applies
• A look at any recent decision you may want reviewed
• A written outline of the next steps