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Personal Injury Meeting With an Attorney Checklist

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personal-injury-claim

We have all suffered some sort of damage as a result of the carelessness of another person. When you’re injured, it can feel like the world is crashing down on you. You may not know where to turn for help, and you may not know what to do next.

Did you know that you are entitled to be paid some compensation for the damages? The next step to take is to sue for damages. However, it’s not always an easy thing to do.

You could be afraid, worried, or completely clueless about how to go about it. This should not be the case. One of the best steps you can take is to meet with an attorney to discuss your case.

An attorney can help you understand your rights and options, and they can help you get the compensation you deserve. All you need to do to overcome this is to have enough information. Before going to an attorney, you need to know some basic information. This would help provide a personal injury attorney with what they will need to make a good case for you.

Here’s a checklist of the important details needed before meeting with a personal injury attorney.

  1. Plan an Initial Consultation With a Personal Injury Lawyer

This is the first step to meeting a personal injury lawyer. In this meeting, the lawyer would ask questions to find out facts about your case. They make the case with the information you provide.

Even if you stay in perfect havens like Costa Mesa, you’re not free from the risk of personal injury. At such times, Costa Mesa personal injury lawyers will make a good case for your compensation. Detailed information about the lawyers would be provided, along with simple methods to set meetings with them. 

  1. Bring Necessary Documents

Here is a list of the important documents you need to  bring to a meeting with a lawyer;

  • Medical information about the accident: This should include diagnosis, treatment, doctor and therapist bills, and prescriptions. With the name and addresses of the hospitals visited
  • Information about people that were part of the accident, including how to contact them
  • Insurance Documents: Health insurance and insurance of vehicle used if it is a car accident
  • Earnings or work hours forfeited as a result of the accident
  • Property lost or repairs made on the property due to the accident
  • Police Accident report
  • Photos of the accident, if any
  1. What to Expect in a Meeting

An injury lawyer would ask you questions about the accident. For example, how did it happen, and who was involved when it happened? Also, who have you spoken to about it? Do the police, insurance company, and family members know? Can you reach anyone related to or involved in the accident?

This helps you to know who is at fault and how fair compensation is. Lawyers specializing in personal injury cases know what important questions to ask to get the main facts needed to make a good case.

The personal injury lawyer would need a very detailed account of what happened. This includes all the necessary information ( as mentioned above). Most events are personal and difficult to discuss due to trauma, but you need to talk about them with your lawyer. That is the only way they will be able to assist you.

It would be a good idea to bring someone else along for moral support or write down all the necessary facts. This is helpful because even if you are overcome with emotion, you can tell the lawyer all he/she needs to know. It is also essential to tell the truth at all times. You might want to withhold or change some facts because of another issue, but that will cause more problems.

Stick to the facts and nothing else. This would go a long way in helping a personal injury attorney make a good case for you.

Also, having an idea of the type of questions a personal injury lawyer may ask will allow you to answer them correctly. You will be able to give them the main details they need immediately.

When answering questions, ensure you focus on how the accident affects you. This includes the pain you are going through (both mental and physical) due to injuries. Also, you explain how it affects those around you and your general well-being.

  1. Picking Out the Right Lawyer for You

After you have discussed this with your lawyer, you may want to settle with the first lawyer, especially if they are willing to take your case. However, it is a good idea that you wait.

You need a personal injury lawyer who is an expert at his job and can provide the best services that you need. To do this, you have to take your time to visit other personal injury law firms. Then, do some detailed research about the law firms and their attorneys.

You need to pick out the lawyer you feel will handle your case best, especially those who have succeeded in cases the same as yours. Schedule appointments or search about them on their law firm websites. Make inquiries in different law firms. Talk to other people and hear what they say about law firms or particular lawyers.

If you schedule a meeting with a lawyer, you can also ask some questions to know if that lawyer is the best for you. Here are a few examples:

  • How long have they practiced?
  • Ask for the number of cases they have taken and won
  • If those cases are the same as yours.
  • Contact information for future discussions you will have
  • The average time frame for most of the other cases so you can have an idea of how long yours will take
  • How much hiring will they cost, and how will the charges be given?
  1. Paperwork and Payment

After you have picked the best lawyer you believe can handle your case well, the process is almost done.

You first talk about how the lawyer charges for his services. It could be in two forms which are contingency and charging per hour.

The contingency method is that the lawyer will take a percentage of the settlement amount. This is usually not more than 33%. This is the percentage limit to protect your interests.

The hourly charge depends on what they decide to charge. So you discuss this and estimate the total based on how long the lawsuit may last.

Then you need to sign the necessary paperwork, including a medical release form. Your attorney will provide all the paperwork you will need. They are usually a lot and might seem too much, but you need them to protect yourself legally.

Conclusion

In the end, all personal injury attorneys exist to make your life easier. They take the burden off of you. Instead of having to fight for yourself, they do it for you. This allows you to focus on getting better and recovering all the losses you suffered.

You can visit Costa Mesa’spersonal injury lawyers to get good attorneys. They offer the best personal injury in California and can provide you with the best service you will need.