Client Intake Questions for Personal Injury: 2026 Checklist

TL;DR

Client intake questions for personal injury are the structured set of questions law firms ask prospective clients to evaluate case viability, collect critical facts, and begin building the legal file. The most important screening question is the date and location of the incident, because it determines whether the statute of limitations has expired. Firms with structured intake processes convert 30% more leads than those without them. This guide covers every question category, defines the key terms you need to know, and explains why each answer matters for case evaluation.

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A prospective client calls your firm at 6:47 PM on a Thursday. They were rear-ended three weeks ago, they’re in pain, and they want to know if they have a case. What you ask in the next few minutes determines whether you sign a viable case or lose it to the firm that picks up next.

That first conversation is intake. And in personal injury law, intake is where cases are won, lost, or never started at all.

According to a FindLaw survey, 78% of clients hire the first lawyer they speak with. Meanwhile, the Clio Legal Trends Report found that law firms miss roughly 36% of incoming calls, and 34% of those callers never try again. The math is brutal: if your intake process is slow, inconsistent, or asks the wrong questions, you’re bleeding revenue.

This glossary covers every term, question category, and concept involved in personal injury client intake. Whether you’re a paralegal building your first intake form, a firm owner standardizing your process, or an intake specialist looking for the questions you might be missing, this is your reference.

If your firm is exploring ways to handle intake around the clock, Lawtté’s AI intake solution is purpose-built for law firms managing high call volumes.

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What Is Client Intake in Personal Injury Law?

Client intake is the process of collecting information from a prospective client to determine whether their case is worth pursuing and whether your firm is the right fit to handle it. In personal injury specifically, intake serves three purposes at once: it screens for case viability, gathers time-sensitive facts, and begins the attorney-client relationship (with all the ethical obligations that entails).

PI intake is uniquely demanding compared to other practice areas. Cases are almost always handled on contingency, which means the firm invests its own time and money upfront. A bad intake, one that misses a statute of limitations issue, fails to identify insufficient insurance coverage, or overlooks a prior claim, can cost the firm thousands of dollars and months of work.

The typical intake workflow moves through these stages:

1. First contact (phone, web form, chat, or walk-in)
2. Initial screening (is this a PI case? is the SOL still open? is there insurance?)
3. Detailed intake (full question set covering injuries, treatment, witnesses, damages)
4. Conflict check (does representing this person create a conflict with a current or former client?)
5. Fee agreement (contingency fee terms, retainer signing)
6. Onboarding (medical authorizations, record requests, case file creation)

Personal injury firms have the fastest lead conversion time across practice areas, averaging just three days from lead to client. But only 7% of PI firm leads actually set consultation appointments. That gap between volume and conversion is almost entirely an intake problem.

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Glossary of Key Intake Terms

Every term below connects directly to the client intake questions for personal injury that your firm should be asking. Each entry explains what the term means, why it matters during intake, and (where relevant) what question it maps to.

Client Intake Form

The document, paper or digital, that structures the questions asked during a prospective client’s first interaction with the firm. A good PI intake form collects enough information to evaluate case viability without overwhelming the caller. Digital forms offer advantages: they can auto-populate CRM fields, enforce required questions, and work on mobile devices. The form is not just an administrative tool. It is the foundation of your case file.

Main Intake Questions (MIQs)

The standardized minimum set of questions that every caller must answer before an intake is considered complete. When every staff member handles intake differently, the quality of information becomes unpredictable. One caller gets asked all the right questions. The next gets a five-minute conversation that skips accident date, insurance status, and injury severity. MIQs eliminate that inconsistency. They are the baseline, not the ceiling.

Lead Qualification / Screening

The initial filter applied before detailed intake begins. Screening determines whether a caller’s situation is even potentially viable before the firm invests time in a full intake. The core screening questions are: When did the incident happen? Where did it happen? Was the at-fault party insured? These three questions alone can disqualify a significant percentage of leads in under two minutes.

Statute of Limitations (SOL)

The legally mandated deadline for filing a personal injury lawsuit. This is the single most critical screening question in PI intake. Every state sets its own deadline, and they vary significantly. Kentucky and Tennessee impose just one year. Florida’s SOL dropped from four years to two years under HB 837, signed in March 2023. If the caller’s incident date falls outside the SOL window, the case is dead on arrival.

The intake question: “What is the date of your accident or injury, and where did it occur?”

For firms handling Florida-specific PI cases, understanding recent legislative changes is essential when configuring intake screening.

Tolling

A legal doctrine that pauses or delays the statute of limitations clock under certain circumstances. Common tolling scenarios include injuries to minors (the clock may not start until they reach the age of majority), mental incapacity, or a defendant who has left the jurisdiction. During intake, asking “How old were you at the time of the injury?” or “Were you mentally or physically incapacitated after the incident?” can reveal tolling situations that save an otherwise time-barred case.

Discovery Rule

An exception to the standard SOL that applies when the injured party could not reasonably have known about the injury at the time it occurred. Medical malpractice cases frequently involve the discovery rule, where a surgical error might not become apparent until months or years later. The intake question “When did you first become aware of your injury?” captures this. If the answer differs from the incident date, the discovery rule may apply.

Conflict Check

A mandatory step before any substantive consultation. Under ABA Model Rules 1.7 and 1.9, firms must verify that representing a new client does not conflict with obligations to a current or former client. During intake, this means collecting full names of all parties involved (the caller, the adverse party, any known witnesses, insurance companies) and running them against the firm’s existing client database. Skipping this step is an ethics violation, not just an oversight.

Prospective Client Confidentiality (ABA Rule 1.18)

A person who consults with a lawyer about possibly forming a client-lawyer relationship is a “prospective client” under ABA Model Rule 1.18. The information they share during that consultation, including everything captured on your intake form, must be kept confidential even if the firm never takes the case. This means your intake data needs the same protections as active client files. Shredding notes, restricting database access, and encrypting digital forms are not optional.

Critical update for firms using AI: ABA Formal Opinion 512 (2024) clarified that the duty of confidentiality under Rule 1.18(b) extends to the use of artificial intelligence tools with prospective clients. If your firm uses AI chatbots, AI phone agents, or automated intake systems, the data those tools collect is protected. No current competitor glossary covers this, but it should be front-of-mind for any firm modernizing its intake.

Contingency Fee Agreement

The financial arrangement under which most PI clients engage their attorney. The firm receives a percentage of the recovery (typically 33% pre-litigation, 40% post-filing) and nothing if the case loses. Because the firm assumes the financial risk, intake must gather enough information to assess whether the expected recovery justifies the investment. Questions about injury severity, insurance policy limits, and comparative fault all feed this calculation.

Medical Authorization / Release (HIPAA)

The signed document authorizing the firm to request and obtain the client’s medical records from healthcare providers. HIPAA requires patient consent before records can be released to a third party. This authorization should be obtained at intake or immediately after signing. Delays in getting records slow everything downstream, from case evaluation to demand letters to settlement negotiations.

The intake question: “Do you authorize our firm to contact your medical providers and obtain your medical records?”

Comparative / Contributory Fault

The legal framework determining how a client’s own negligence affects their recovery. In comparative fault states (the majority), the client’s damages are reduced by their percentage of fault. In the handful of contributory negligence states (Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and D.C.), any fault on the client’s part can bar recovery entirely. Intake should ask: “Do you believe you were partially at fault for the accident?” A “yes” does not automatically disqualify the case, but it changes the valuation math.

Damages (Economic, Non-Economic, Punitive)

The categories of loss that intake questions help identify and quantify. Economic damages include medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Punitive damages are rare and apply only when the defendant’s conduct was egregiously reckless or intentional. During intake, you need questions that surface all three categories. Asking only about medical bills leaves money on the table.

Lien

A legal claim against a client’s future settlement. Attorney liens from prior counsel, medical liens from treatment providers, and health insurance subrogation claims can all reduce the net recovery. If a client previously had another attorney, that attorney may hold a lien. During intake, ask: “Have you previously been represented by another attorney for this matter?” and “Did any healthcare provider treat you on a lien basis?”

Subrogation

The right of an insurance company (often the client’s own health insurer) to be reimbursed from the settlement for medical costs they paid. Subrogation claims can significantly reduce the client’s take-home amount and, by extension, the firm’s fee. Intake should identify all insurance carriers who paid for treatment related to the injury.

Dynamic Intake Form

A digital intake form that uses conditional logic to tailor questions in real time based on the caller’s answers. If a prospective client says their accident involved a commercial truck, the form presents trucking-specific questions (FMCSA regulations, driver log books, carrier insurance). If it was a slip and fall, the form pivots to premises liability questions (property owner, maintenance records, notice of hazard). Dynamic forms reduce caller fatigue and improve data quality because clients only answer questions relevant to their situation.

Body Diagram

A visual tool, usually an outline of the human body, that clients can mark to indicate injury locations. CasePeer, a PI-specific practice management vendor, specifically recommends including body diagrams in intake forms. Practitioners find them useful because they capture injury details that callers struggle to describe verbally. A client might say “my back hurts” but mark specific areas on a diagram that suggest lumbar disc involvement, cervical strain, or both.

Recorded Statement

A statement given by the client to any party (typically an insurance adjuster) about the incident, either in writing or on a recording. This is one of the most critical red-flag questions in PI intake and one that most generic question lists overlook entirely.

The intake question: “Have you given a written or recorded statement to any person about this incident?”

If the answer is yes, case strategy changes immediately. The opposing insurance company now has the client’s words locked in, and any inconsistencies between that statement and later testimony will be exploited.

Pre-Existing Condition

Any prior injury, illness, or medical condition affecting the same body part or system that was injured in the current incident. Defense attorneys will argue that the client’s pain and limitations existed before the accident. Intake must ask about prior injuries, surgeries, and chronic conditions, not to disqualify the case, but to prepare for the defense’s inevitable argument. Honesty at intake prevents surprises at deposition.

Government Tort Claim

A personal injury claim against a city, county, state, or federal government entity. These claims have dramatically shorter filing deadlines than standard PI cases. California requires notice within six months. New York requires notice within just 90 days. The intake question “Who or what entity caused your injury?” must be asked early enough to flag government defendants. Missing a government tort claim deadline is one of the most common sources of legal malpractice claims in PI.

For California firms navigating these tighter windows, understanding state-specific intake requirements can prevent costly oversights.

Loss Date / Date of Loss

The specific date of the incident that caused the injury. This is the date that starts the statute of limitations clock. It seems straightforward, but callers sometimes confuse the accident date with the date they first sought treatment or the date they realized the injury was serious. The intake question should be precise: “On what date did the accident or incident occur?”

Policy Limits

The maximum amount an insurance policy will pay for a claim. Even the strongest liability case may not be worth pursuing without adequate coverage. If the at-fault party has a minimum-limits policy ($25,000 in many states), the potential recovery may not justify the firm’s investment, particularly for serious injuries with high medical bills. Intake should ask about both the defendant’s insurance and the client’s own underinsured/uninsured motorist coverage.

Retainer / Fee Agreement

The formal document establishing the attorney-client relationship and the terms of representation. In PI, this is typically a contingency fee agreement. The agreement should be discussed and signed only after intake and conflict checks are complete. It is the last step in the intake-to-onboarding workflow, not the first.

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The Complete Personal Injury Intake Question Checklist

Below is a comprehensive list of client intake questions for personal injury, organized by category. Each section includes the questions and a brief explanation of why the answers matter.

1. Client Identification

• Full legal name
• Date of birth
• Home address
• Phone number (primary and secondary)
• Email address
• Preferred method of contact
• Preferred language
• Emergency contact name and phone number

Why it matters: Basic identification is necessary for conflict checks, correspondence, and court filings. Preferred language is especially important: if a caller is more comfortable in Spanish, Mandarin, or another language, the quality of information you collect improves dramatically when you accommodate that. Firms offering multilingual intake capabilities capture leads that monolingual competitors lose.

2. Incident Details

• What type of incident occurred? (auto accident, slip and fall, workplace injury, medical error, dog bite, product defect, other)
• What is the exact date of the incident?
• What time did it occur?
• Where did it happen? (city, state, specific location)
• Describe what happened in your own words.
• Was a police report filed? If so, what is the report number?
• What was the name of the responding officer or agency?
• Were any citations issued?
• Was the incident captured on video or surveillance?
• Who do you believe was at fault?

Why it matters: Gathering the client’s account as soon as possible is critical. The passing of time blurs memories and details. The incident date and location determine jurisdiction and statute of limitations. The type of incident triggers case-type-specific follow-up questions (covered in the next section).

3. Injuries and Medical Treatment

• What injuries did you sustain?
• Where on your body are you experiencing pain? (use a body diagram if possible)
• Did you receive emergency medical treatment at the scene?
• Were you transported by ambulance?
• Which hospital or emergency room treated you?
• Have you seen any other doctors, specialists, or therapists since the incident?
• List all medical providers you have seen for this injury.
• Are you currently receiving treatment?
• What is your current treatment plan?
• Have you been prescribed any medications related to this injury?
• Have you had any surgeries or procedures related to this injury?
• Have you missed any scheduled medical appointments?

Why it matters: Injury documentation is the core of a PI case’s value. Gaps in treatment (a common issue practitioners flag) give the defense ammunition to argue the injuries aren’t serious. Asking about missed appointments at intake allows the firm to counsel the client on consistency before the gap becomes a problem.

4. Insurance Coverage

• Do you have auto insurance? (for MVA cases) If so, who is your carrier and what are your policy limits?
• Do you have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage?
• Do you have health insurance? If so, who is the carrier?
• Do you know whether the at-fault party has insurance?
• Do you know the at-fault party’s insurance carrier or policy number?
• Do you have MedPay or PIP coverage?

Why it matters: Insurance details help evaluate where settlement funds may come from and whether the claim is financially viable. A case with clear liability but a defendant carrying only minimum-limits coverage requires a different strategy than one with a $500,000 policy.

5. Witness Information

• Were there any witnesses to the incident?
• Witness names, phone numbers, and addresses
• Did any witnesses provide statements at the scene?
• Are any of the witnesses related to you or the other party?

Why it matters: Witnesses can make or break a case. If someone else saw or heard the accident, their account is evidence. The defense will look for witnesses too, so identifying them early gives the firm a head start.

6. Prior Claims and Medical History

• Have you ever been involved in a prior personal injury claim or lawsuit?
• Have you ever filed a workers’ compensation claim?
• Do you have any pre-existing injuries or medical conditions affecting the same body parts?
• Have you had any prior surgeries on the affected body parts?
• Have you ever been in a previous car accident? (for MVA cases)

Why it matters: A prospective client with multiple prior injury demands is not automatically disqualified, but the firm needs to know. Defense attorneys will dig into medical history to attribute current symptoms to prior conditions. Knowing the full picture at intake prevents surprises during discovery.

7. Legal Status and Prior Representation

• Are you currently represented by another attorney for this matter?
• Have you previously consulted with or hired another attorney for this matter?
• Did you sign a fee agreement or retainer with a prior attorney?
• Have you given a written or recorded statement to any person about this incident?
• Have you been contacted by the other party’s insurance company?
• Have you signed anything provided by an insurance company?

Why it matters: The recorded statement question is a critical red flag that most intake checklists miss. If the client already gave a recorded statement to the opposing insurer, the firm needs to obtain a copy immediately and adjust strategy. Similarly, prior attorney involvement may mean existing liens or fee disputes.

8. Financial Impact and Damages

• Have you missed work because of this injury? How many days?
• What is your occupation and approximate income?
• Have you been placed on any work restrictions by a doctor?
• Have you incurred out-of-pocket medical expenses?
• Have you had to pay for household help, childcare, or transportation because of your injuries?
• Has the injury affected your ability to perform daily activities?
• Has the injury affected your personal relationships or mental health?
• Was any property damaged in the incident? (vehicle, personal belongings)

Why it matters: These questions surface both economic and non-economic damages. Many callers focus only on medical bills and don’t think to mention lost wages, out-of-pocket costs, or the impact on their daily life. A thorough intake captures the full picture of loss.

9. Evidence and Documentation

• Do you have photos of the accident scene, your injuries, or property damage?
• Do you have a copy of the police report?
• Do you have medical bills or records related to this injury?
• Do you have documentation of lost wages (pay stubs, employer letter)?
• Is there any surveillance or dashcam footage of the incident?
• Do you have correspondence from any insurance company?

Why it matters: Evidence degrades and disappears over time. Asking about it at intake allows the firm to issue preservation letters and collect documentation before it’s lost.

10. Authorization and Consent

• Do you authorize the firm to contact your medical providers and obtain medical records?
• Do you authorize the firm to communicate with insurance companies on your behalf?
• Do you consent to the firm’s fee agreement and terms of representation?
• Do you understand and agree to the contingency fee structure?

Why it matters: Without signed authorizations, the firm cannot obtain records, communicate with insurers, or proceed with the case. These should be the final items in the intake, confirming key details and securing the client’s sign-off.

11. Marketing Attribution

• How did you hear about our firm? (referral, online search, advertisement, social media, other)
• If referred, who referred you?

Why it matters: This question has nothing to do with case viability and everything to do with firm growth. Knowing which marketing channels produce signed cases (not just calls) allows the firm to allocate its budget effectively. Including it in intake software is standard, but it’s often omitted from question-focused guides.

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Questions That Change by Case Type

A flat, one-size-fits-all intake form wastes everyone’s time. When a caller describes a workplace injury, asking about the other driver’s insurance makes no sense. Dynamic intake forms solve this by branching based on the case type identified in the screening stage.

Auto / Motor Vehicle Accident

• Were you the driver, passenger, pedestrian, or cyclist?
• What type of vehicles were involved?
• Were you wearing a seatbelt?
• Did the airbags deploy?
• Was the other driver issued a citation?
• Was alcohol or drug use suspected?
• Was a commercial vehicle or truck involved? (triggers FMCSA-related questions)
• Where was your vehicle towed?

Premises Liability / Slip and Fall

• What type of property were you on? (commercial, residential, government)
• Who owns or manages the property?
• What caused you to fall or be injured? (wet floor, broken step, poor lighting, debris)
• Were there any warning signs posted?
• Did you report the incident to the property owner or manager?
• Was an incident report created?
• How long had the hazardous condition existed, to your knowledge?

Medical Malpractice

• What type of medical provider is involved? (hospital, surgeon, dentist, nursing home)
• What procedure or treatment was performed?
• What went wrong, in your understanding?
• When did you first realize something was wrong?
• Have you obtained a second medical opinion?
• Do you have copies of your medical records from this provider?

For firms handling medical malpractice intake specifically, additional intake considerations apply around expert review requirements and pre-suit notice obligations.

Product Liability

• What product caused your injury?
• Who is the manufacturer?
• Where and when did you purchase the product?
• Do you still have the product?
• Was the product used as intended, or was it modified?
• Has there been a recall on this product?

Workplace Injury / Workers’ Compensation Crossover

• What is your employer’s name and address?
• Did you report the injury to your employer?
• Have you filed a workers’ compensation claim?
• Was a third party (not your employer) involved in causing the injury?
• Were you an employee or independent contractor?

The third-party question is critical here. If a third party contributed to the workplace injury, there may be a separate personal injury claim alongside the workers’ comp claim.

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Intake Best Practices That Affect Question Quality

Having the right questions matters less if your process undermines them. These practices directly affect how useful the answers you collect actually are.

Use plain language on client-facing forms. Legal jargon confuses callers and produces vague answers. “When did the accident happen?” works better than “Please indicate the date of the alleged incident.” Practitioners on Reddit and legal forums consistently note that the simpler the question, the more detailed and accurate the response.

Mobile-optimize digital forms. Many prospective clients fill out intake forms on their phones. Forms that don’t render well on mobile get abandoned. Every field should be large enough to tap, and the form should save progress automatically.

Offer multilingual options. If a significant portion of your market speaks a language other than English, your intake form should be available in that language. A caller who struggles with English will provide incomplete or inaccurate information on an English-only form.

Run conflict checks before substantive consultation. ABA Rules require this, but many firms do it after the consultation, creating ethical exposure. Collect party names at screening and check immediately.

Update forms at least twice a year. Laws change (Florida’s SOL shift is a perfect example), firm processes evolve, and technology improves. An outdated intake form is a liability.

Track your intake metrics. Research shows that firms with structured intake processes convert 30% more leads than firms without them. If you’re not measuring call answer rates, screening-to-consultation ratios, and time-to-first-contact, you can’t improve.

If you’re looking to standardize intake across your team, explore Lawtté’s complete intake solution built specifically for personal injury workflows.

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How Technology Automates Personal Injury Intake Questions

The gap between knowing which questions to ask and consistently asking them is where technology enters the picture.

Dynamic Conditional Forms

Modern intake platforms use conditional logic to display different questions based on earlier answers. A caller selects “auto accident” and the form shows MVA-specific questions. A caller selects “medical malpractice” and the form pivots accordingly. This is the digital equivalent of a trained intake specialist who knows which follow-up questions to ask, but it works at 2 AM on a Saturday.

CRM and Practice Management Integration

Double data entry is one of the most common complaints among intake staff. When your intake form feeds directly into your practice management system (Clio, Filevine, MyCase, CasePeer, or others), the information flows into the case file without manual re-entry. This eliminates transcription errors and saves hours per week.

AI-Powered Intake

Over 50% of personal injury firms report they’re already using AI in some capacity. AI intake tools can handle phone calls, web chats, and SMS conversations, qualifying leads and collecting structured data 24/7. The key concern with AI intake is confidentiality. As noted above, ABA Formal Opinion 512 (2024) confirmed that Rule 1.18(b)'s confidentiality protections extend to AI tools used with prospective clients. Any AI system handling intake must encrypt data, restrict access, and avoid using caller information for model training.

The Speed-to-Intake Advantage

InsideSales research found that responding to a lead within five minutes makes you 21 times more likely to convert that lead. Yet law firms miss about 36% of incoming calls, and a third of those callers never call back. The firms gaining the biggest advantage from AI intake aren’t just using it for better questions. They’re using it to answer every call, immediately, at any hour.

For firms that want 24/7 call coverage without expanding staff, an AI virtual receptionist can ensure no lead goes unanswered.

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Putting It All Together

Client intake questions for personal injury are not just an administrative checklist. They are the first strategic act of every case. The right questions, asked consistently and quickly, determine whether your firm signs viable cases, avoids ethical pitfalls, and maximizes the value of every lead.

The best intake process combines three things: a comprehensive, well-organized question set tailored by case type; a standardized workflow that every team member follows; and technology that ensures speed, consistency, and compliance.

If you’re ready to see how AI can handle your firm’s intake consistently and around the clock, book a personalized demo to explore what’s possible.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What questions should a personal injury intake form include?

A thorough PI intake form should cover client identification, incident details (date, time, location, description), injuries and medical treatment, insurance coverage for both parties, witness information, prior claims and medical history, legal status and prior representation, financial impact (lost wages, out-of-pocket expenses), evidence and documentation, and authorization/consent. Marketing attribution (“How did you hear about us?”) is also standard.

What is the most critical question to ask during personal injury intake?

The date and location of the incident. This single data point determines whether the statute of limitations has expired, which jurisdiction governs the case, and whether shortened government tort claim deadlines apply. Without it, nothing else matters.

How long should a PI intake form be?

Long enough to evaluate case viability, short enough that callers complete it. Most effective PI intake forms include 30 to 50 questions organized across 8 to 11 categories. Dynamic forms that branch by case type feel shorter to the client because irrelevant questions are skipped automatically.

Do I need a different intake form for each personal injury case type?

Ideally, yes, or a single dynamic form that adjusts based on case type. Auto accidents, slip-and-fall incidents, medical malpractice, product liability, and workplace injuries each require case-specific questions that a generic form won’t capture. At minimum, have supplemental question sets for each major case type.

Is information shared during intake confidential even if the firm doesn’t take the case?

Yes. Under ABA Model Rule 1.18, anyone who consults with a lawyer about possibly forming an attorney-client relationship is a “prospective client.” Information they share must be kept confidential. This obligation extends to AI tools used during intake, as confirmed by ABA Formal Opinion 512 (2024).

How often should a law firm update its intake questions?

At least twice a year. Legislative changes (like Florida’s SOL reduction under HB 837), shifts in firm strategy, and updates to technology tools all warrant form revisions. An outdated intake form can miss critical screening questions or fail to capture information required by new laws.

Why does “Have you given a recorded statement?” matter so much?

If a prospective client has already given a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster, the opposing side has their words locked in. Any inconsistencies between that statement and later testimony will be used against them. Knowing this at intake allows the firm to obtain a copy of the statement and adjust case strategy before it becomes a liability.

What is a “Main Intake Question” (MIQ)?

An MIQ is one of the standardized questions that every caller must answer before intake is considered complete. MIQs exist to ensure consistency. Without them, different staff members collect different information, leading to cases being improperly evaluated or dropped because critical data was never captured.