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Suffering a serious injury can often be a traumatic experience, and in the days following the injury, you might experience anger, confusion, and stress. Take the time to get the rest you need and be sure to seek proper and thorough medical treatment. And once you are better able to think clearly, schedule an appointment for a consultation with a personal injury law firm.
Remember—experienced and professional personal injury attorneys will understand that you’ve been through a great deal. They also know that there is a way to lessen the stress. The number one thing you can do to ensure that a personal injury episode is not what defines you for the remainder of your life is to prepare for your personal injury case consultation. Simply follow these instructions and have the following items on hand for your initial consultation, and the process will go as smoothly and stress-free as possible.
Documents and records relating to the personal injury incident are of vital importance in your case and will serve to ensure you get the just compensation you deserve. Your first step in preparing for your personal injury case consultation is to gather together all the necessary documents.
Any medical records pertaining to your injury should be collected from the facilities you have visited for examination or treatment. You have a right to have copies of all your medical records—if they haven’t already been provided to you, you need only ask, and might possibly be required to sign a release form.
As medical records are often the basis for whether or not you have a substantial case, they are probably the most important documents you will need. The medical records will contain details of the medical provider or facilities you have been to, what help was provided, how much your care cost, and the contact information for the professionals who administered treatment or oversaw your examinations.
The extent of your injuries and the cost of your care, as well as any possible costs for future care if needed, will serve to determine the strength of your case and what compensation you may be entitled to.
If the police were called to the scene, you will also want to obtain a copy of the police report to bring to your personal injury consultation. The police report may contain important details pertaining to the incident that you are unaware of.
If, as a result of your injury, you needed to purchase specific items (medical equipment, prescription pills, special clothing, or items needed for in-home care) you should also bring the receipts for those items in order to claim them as additional expenses.
If your injury has caused you to miss work, your paystubs can show the financial loss you have suffered, which can also be used to strengthen your claim as well as recoup lost monies.
If there were other individuals involved when you suffered your injury and you have records of related correspondence, you should bring those as well. These can be emails, text messages, voicemail messages, legal documents that you were served by the other party, letters that were written, and even messages sent over social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
In addition to the above, you will want to be prepared with your own documents. These will include:
Write down everything you remember about the event—what time it occurred, where it occurred, the reason why the injury occurred, who was there, etc. All the details and circumstances surrounding the incident are very important when your attorney attempts to prove another party is at fault for your personal injury.
If possible, bring photographs of the area and any evidence relating to your case. Photographs and evidence can help prove that an area was unsafe, for example, or can help to corroborate your story if there is no police report. Your attorney will also gather their own photographs and evidence, but having your provisions early on will ensure that nothing is overlooked, especially if the scene is changed before the attorney visits it.
You are likely to have plenty of your own questions. Write them down so that you are sure not to forget any of them on the day of your personal injury consultation. Asking questions will also give you a better feel for the attorney and help you to make an informed decision as to which attorney you would like to represent in your personal injury case.
At the Boston law firm of Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C., our attorneys will help our clients recover the maximum possible compensation for their injuries. For a free initial consultation with one of our professional and experienced personal injury lawyers, call 617-917-3917, or contact us online via our email form.
