What do you need to know in order to get the most out of your consultation with a car accident lawyer. Being prepared for your meeting will go a long way to getting the most from your lawyer. Here are ten questions you should be prepared to answer for your attorney.
The questions you will need to answer for your car accident lawyer:
When did the accident happen?
This is pretty cut and dried, easy to answer. You would be surprised with how many times clients don't know the exact date though.
Explain exactly how the accident happened?
The more detail, the better. At some point, depending on severity, there might even need to be a car accident reconstructionist. Therefore, the more detail you can provide, the better. Don't hesitate to draw pictures.
Is there a police report?
Were the police called? If so, there should be a report somewhere. What does it say? Is it clear the other driver is at fault?
Did the other driver
admit to being at fault?
If they admitted to it, that's great. If it's in the police report, wonderful.
When and where did you get your first medical care and how did you get there?
Once again, specific location. The more you know, the better.
Were there x-rays or an MRI? What was the damage?
X-Rays, an MRI or any other diagnostic test are important. They might not have been done at any initial visit.
Complete list of your injuries.
The COMPLETE list. We, as injury lawyers, never like to hear a client say, six months into the relationship that yes, my foot is in severe pain. Didn't I mention it wasn't just my knee? It's been like this since the accident. If you know about an injury, your lawyer should know too. It's vital your lawyer knows everything. It is almost more important for your lawyer to be aware of something related to your body than it is for your doctor to be aware. Well, maybe equally as important.
Do you believe there is any permanent condition? What?
Your opinion matters, and don't let any accident lawyer tell you differently. No, it's not a "medical" opinion but it's valid nonetheless. If you feel as though some pain, injury, or condition is not healing and you fear permanency, you should explore it with your doctor and keep your lawyer in the loop.
Do you yet know the insurance policy limits of the driver who hit you?
The value of your accident case might be a million dollars, but if there's only $50,000 in insurance coverage from the at-fault driver, you're going to have trouble getting more than $50,000. It's one of the unfortunate facts of life in a free capitalist society.
Do you have UIM (underinsured motorist coverage) on your own policy?
Too many people are driving around uninsured or underinsured. Knowing what kind of coverages you have is important. Bring copies of your insurance policies, even if you are not the driver responsible for the accident.
These are ten important questions, and they're likely to come up in any initial consultation with a good car accident lawyer. There will be other questions as well, but these ten will form the basis of the representation.
