If you are someone who has never hired a lawyer before, the process can same intimidating initially. Navigating through the procedure might same extremely stressful, especially when you are seeking a lawyer’s services due to the recent injuries you sustained in an accident. Although the prospect of meeting a lawyer can give you bouts of anxiety, when you know how the meeting will proceed and when you are prepared with the answers to his questions, you can be at ease.
Do you want to know about the documents that you need to carry in your first meeting with your personal injury attorney? To learn more about this personal injury checklist, keep reading the concerns of this article.
Medical documents
Perhaps the most important document that you need to carry during your first meeting with your personal injury attorney is your medical record. Your medical records not only prove the fact that you were injured but they also provide a starting point for the statute of limitations in your state. Your lawyer might not require the entire medical history but she will meet the records that are relevant to your treatment and injury. If you clicked any pictures of your injuries, particularly with time stamps, you can carry them along for better evidence.
Police reports
If you were injured due to the negligent action of another party, you must have filed a police report so that the entire incident can be on record and investigated, if required. A police report is definite evidence of the whole accident and your personal injury attorney will get to know the suspected responsible party for the injury. If you clicked pictures of the damage during the accident, carry them along too.
Pay stubs and receipts
Your financial details are as private as your medical documents but the pay stubs and receipts will help in proving that you are entitled to receive compensation for your lost wages and other losses. This is why you should never forget to carry your financial records of any cost that you incurred after the accident and the injury sustained. In case of a missed paycheck, you also need to carry the proof with you.
Reports and information from witnesses
After you met with the accident, if you had any eyewitnesses at the scene of the accident, you should have taken their statements and collected their contact details. In case you have this information with you, make sure you carry them to your personal injury attorney as this will boost your case if witnesses confirm your statements or help in proving who was responsible for the accident.
Insurance details
Regardless of whether it is your own insurance or the insurance details of the responsible party, or the employers’ insurance policy, you need to carry every detail with you on your first meeting with your attorney. Be prepared to give anything that your lawyer asks for regarding insurance information.
Therefore, now that you have been educated on the necessary documents to carry to your personal injury attorney on your first meeting, gather every detail beforehand so you don’t miss out on anything on the actual day of the meeting.