Your first intake call should help your team decide whether to call someone back. The questions you ask depend on the cases your firm takes.
One firm may want to hear about a serious injury. Another may need treatment details before following up. Lighthouse answers calls and gathers information using your firm’s intake process.
Start with your cases
Write down the case types your firm takes, the areas it serves and what staff need to know before a callback. Review that list with the people who screen cases.
Your Lighthouse firm description tells the agent which cases you handle and which you do not. The intake fields collect the details your team needs to decide whether a caller fits those criteria.
Give each question a purpose
Ask one thing about each question: Will this answer change what we do next?
It might help staff decide whether to call back, choose the right colleague or reach the caller. If nobody uses the answer, consider leaving it for later.
These are planning examples, not a list of editable Lighthouse fields:
| Question | Why ask it? |
|---|---|
| What is your name and best callback number? | Know who to call and how to reach them. |
| What happened, and what injuries do you have? | Check whether the case fits your practice. |
| Where did it happen? | Check whether you serve that area. |
| When did it happen? | Give staff a timeline to review. |
| What treatment have you received? | Check whether the case meets your treatment criteria. |
| Would you like to share an email address? | Give staff another way to reach you. |
| How did you hear about the firm? | Track referrals or marketing, if useful. |
You can find similar topics in a personal injury intake form. Your firm decides which answers it needs on the first call and which can wait.
Choose what to ask
In New Clients settings, open Client Info Collection. Choose how Lighthouse handles each available field:
- Required: Ask because your team needs the answer before its next step.
- Optional: Collect it if the caller is willing to share it.
- Disabled: Leave it out of intake.
Client Name and Phone Number stay required. Other fields include Date of Accident, Incident Location, Medical Treatment, Email and Referral Source. The customization walkthrough shows these controls.
A required question tells the agent to ask. A caller may still not know the answer. Staff should review that in context, rather than assume the case does not qualify.
Different firms, different questions
These two firms are fictional examples.
Firm A will call back if the incident and serious injury fit its practice. Treatment details are helpful, but can wait.
Firm B wants to know about treatment before deciding whether to call back.
| Lighthouse field | Firm A | Firm B |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Treatment | Optional | Required |
| Incident Location | Required | Required |
| Optional | Optional | |
| Referral Source | Disabled | Optional |
Both firms need the location to check whether they serve the area. Both use the phone for the first callback. Firm A does not track referrals; Firm B does. Each setting serves a purpose.
Medical Treatment records a broad type of treatment, not a full medical history. Staff can ask for bills, treatment dates or other details during follow-up.
Try a test call
Make a test call with fictional details. Then open the Lighthouse dashboard and ask:
- Can staff tell whether the case qualifies for a callback?
- Did optional questions collect anything useful?
- Is it clear which answers need follow-up?
- Does someone know what to do next?
Lighthouse gives you intake fields, a quick summary and the full transcript. Start with the fields, then read more when you need context. The call-record guide explains each view, including the English translation and original Spanish for Spanish calls.
After a few calls, review which answers staff actually use. Adjust your questions to help them decide who to call back. Your firm still decides whether to take the case.
Book a demo and bring your current intake questions to see how Lighthouse can follow your process.