You have just been involved in a motor vehicle accident and the police arrive to the scene. After the police get your statement, you are transported to the hospital. Subsequently, you are told you have severe injuries and need surgery. Meanwhile, your car is damaged and you’re worried about the property damage expense. With all of these expenses running through your head, you call a personal injury firm to help you through the process.
So now it’s the day of your initial meeting and you don’t know what to expect. Well, this blog will help you understand what you should bring and how you should prepare.
Important Documents
- Medical records. The most important documents for your personal injury case are your medical records. After you go to the hospital or your primary care physician, you should ask for a copy of the doctor’s notes from your visit. Having these notes at your initial meeting will help the lawyer analyze whether you have a substantial case and determine what future treatment you might need.
- Police report. The police should always be called after any motor vehicle accident. Having the police on scene, writing a formal report, will help prove liability against the negligent third party. Having this at your initial meeting will allow your lawyer to see you had no part in the accident and were clearly the victim of someone’s negligence.
- Receipts. If you are in an accident and need to pay for a neck brace or arm sling, you should be compensated for that money. As part of your personal injury case you will be compensated for out of pocket expenses that you had to pay at no fault of your own.
- Paystuds. If you are seriously injured in an accident, you might have to take a couple days or weeks off of work. If this happens to you, you should be compensated from those lost hours.
Personally Prepared Documents
- Notes about the accident. Although you might have the police report with the written narrative, having the accident written in your own words is beneficial. Your potential lawyer will want to hear about the accident and know the events leading to it and the events after. Remembering the weather, traffic and other specific details will help your lawyer build your case.
- Photographs or Evidence. Taken photographs at the scene will only help your case. You should take photos of your injuries if you have any bruising or scrapes and you should also take photos of your damaged vehicle. Additionally, it’s always good to have witnesses who can corroborate your story. If there were witnesses, it’s good to have their name and contact number so your lawyer can contact them for further details.
- Questions. It’s important to write down any questions you have so that you do not forget to ask them during your initial meeting.
Contact Us
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle, contact us today to go over your potential claim. You can call or text us at 401-777-7777 or fill out our online form. Remember, delay could harm your case so contact the Bottaro Law Firm, LLC as soon as you can to get the best representation.