Personal injury accidents often leave their victims with significant injuries. Property damage is also a possibility in such cases. Furthermore, in the worst scenarios, nobody survives the mishaps. All these events necessitate the involvement of a personal injury lawyer in Riverdale.
Such an attorney can help you get compensation for your losses. Georgia is a fault-based accident state, so you can file a claim against the negligent party. However, working with an attorney often requires an interview and counseling session.
The first meeting after the initial consultation signals the beginning of the attorney-client relationship. However, you cannot come empty-handed to this appointment. Instead, there are vital documents you must bring to your lawyer. This article explains what to go with for your first lawyer-client meeting.
A Personal Injury Lawyer in Riverdale Explains the Documents Necessary for the First Attorney-Client Meeting
It’s natural to be nervous when meeting your personal injury lawyer for the first time. Firstly, you may not have met an attorney before. In addition, you may not know how to prepare for this meeting. The list below will help you prepare adequately.
Medical Records
Your medical records are probably the most vital piece of evidence. They link your injuries to the accident. For example, if you went to the hospital immediately after the crash, your record would show when your legal right to compensation arose.
This date is crucial in calculating the Statute of Limitations. Therefore, it’s necessary to bring such records to your lawyer. In addition, you should get your entire medical records if you had a similar preexisting injury. But, you can only obtain the documents relevant to your immediate injury.
Relevant contents of your medical records include:
- In-hospital admission records
- Pharmaceutical prescriptions
- Medical bills
- Records of meetings with therapists and psychologists
Personal Account of the Injury Accident
During settlement negotiations or trials, you may need to share your account of your injury. Any inconsistencies can harm your case. That’s why lawyers advise that you write down your version of the crash. Writing it down means you wouldn’t forget any crucial details, and it’ll help to arrange everything into a timeline and show your attorney.
Copy of the Police Reports
Proving liability for your injuries is the only way to win your claim. So, you’ll need official documents establishing liability. A typical example would be the police report on their crash investigation. The police investigate several Riverdale crashes.
Their reports on the crash would be an objective and conclusive opinion on the accident. Also, the police will likely be right about who caused the collision. So, you should bring the report to your personal injury lawyer in Riverdale.
Receipts and Payment Stubs
Your actual losses reflect the amount of money you recover in an accident claim. These are the specific sums of money you lost because of the collision. So, for example, you can get your:
- Medical bills
- Cost of vehicle repair
- Price of lost or damaged personal property
Therefore, you’ll need receipts to prove you spent these monies above. It would thus be best to bring the receipts to your first meeting with your attorney. Your personal injury lawyer will need them to calculate your special damages.
Wage Loss Data
Personal injury accidents can keep you off work. Generally, an excellent attorney will advise that you only return to work after your doctor clears you. So, you may stay home for a long or short time. This usually depends on the severity of your wounds.
Therefore, you may be entitled to receive the wages you lose during this period. However, your personal injury lawyer needs your wage information to file the claim. You’ll thus have to bring the following to your first meeting:
- Official documentation showing your off-days
- Proof of the sums you would have earned if you worked during this period
- Paystubs
- Tax returns
- Proof of work benefits such as sick leave you had to use because of the crash
Insurance Information
Insurance is vital in Riverdale personal injury cases. This is because an insurance company will most likely pay the compensation you deserve. Notably, this could be your insurer. But, conversely, the fault party’s insurance company may foot your bills.
Therefore, you must bring the relevant insurance data for you and the other driver. The crucial data will include:
- Names of your insurers
- Addresses of the insurance companies
- Insurance policy numbers
A Riverdale personal injury lawyer can track the relevant insurer with this data. Then, they can file an insurance claim against them.
Importance of Witness Information and Reports
You cannot win a Riverdale personal injury claim without evidence. One reliable source of accident evidence is eyewitnesses. These are the people who were physically present when the collision occurred.
Your personal injury lawyer would ask you if anyone witnessed the personal injury accident. Then, suppose you answer in the affirmative. They’ll need all the information you have on these witnesses. Such relevant data will include:
- The names of the witnesses
- Their contact details such as address and phone number
- The witness’s account of the accident
Therefore, it’s vital to gather this data immediately after a crash. Suppose you don’t speak to any witnesses following the incident. Then, it’ll be challenging to track them down for their statements.
Questions I Should Ask at My First Meeting With a Personal Injury Lawyer in Riverdale
The documents above aren’t all you can bring to your first meeting with an injury attorney. Instead, you can also carry along a list of questions for your personal injury lawyer. Attorneys look forward to such questions from their clients.
Such inquiries help lawyers resolve issues bothering you. Therefore, below are a list of questions you should bring to your first meeting with an injury lawyer:
- How long have you been practicing personal injury law?
- What has been your experience so far?
- Do you ever file lawsuits for your clients if settlements don’t work?
- How many settlements or judgments have you won for other clients?
- What other documents do you need from me?
Finally, you can ask any other question that helps you understand your role in the case.
Let Humphrey Ballard Attorneys Handle Your Personal Injury Case!
Have you been in a personal injury accident? Then, you may be eligible for compensation for your losses. First, however, you’ll need an experienced personal injury lawyer.
A Humphrey and Ballard personal injury lawyer in Riverdale, Georgia, can get you the maximum compensation you need. In addition, you’ll know the relevant documents to bring to your first appointment during the FREE consultation. So, call our lawyers today to discuss your case.
