Preparing For Your First Meeting With A Personal Injury Lawyer

Anytime you have been injured at the hands of another individual, whether it is a car accident or a medical malpractice claim, you are likely going to be in pain and under tremendous stress. This is extremely normal especially if you have been put out of work and you shouldn’t feel alone. Hiring an attorney is the first place to start. Just make sure you do your research and put in the appropriate amount of time evaluating all your options because attorneys are not created equally. So, how do you prepare for your first meeting with your new attorney?

Have The Story Laid Out

The first thing you need to do is have your story straight. You want to be as clear and precise about the event as you can. Sit down days before your meeting with a scratch pad and pencil and go over the events that have led you to this very instance. Go over them and go over them again until you are 100 percent sure that you have an undeniable comprehensive account of the events that took place. Document everything including the names of the officers on the scene, the individual that injured you, or the names of any witnesses.

Get The Accident Report In Order

Now, every case is going to be different, but if the incident was reported there should be a police report. Yes, you do have your own accounting of what took place, but when you are dealing with professional Washington DC personal injury lawyers that are as thorough as these, you want to make sure that you have all your ducks in a row. These attorneys will cover every basis of the case from every angle to make sure that nothing is left out. If you don’t have the original report, you can get in touch with the local police department and they shouldn’t have a problem providing you with an official report.

Get Medical Documents In Order

Along with the official police report, you are going to want to bring along your medical records as well. This will include anything from medical expenses to doctor’s reports, ER visits, diagnoses, and discharge papers. If you don’t have these reports you can once again get in touch with the local doctor’s offices that you have visited and they shouldn’t have a problem preparing the information for you. You will also want to bring along the contact information for these doctors because your attorney will want to reach out to them in the future. Also, keep in mind that you will have to sign a release giving your new attorney access to this privileged information.

Gather Your Insurance Information

It will be just as equally important to bring along any information that you have received for the insurance company. This will include repair quotes, identification cards, the contact information for your insurance company, and any letters or documentation that you have received from the company. All of this compiled information will help your lawyer determine the extent of your injuries and how much you should be fairly compensated.