For many people who need to meet with a personal injury lawyer, this is most likely the first time they are meeting a lawyer in a professional capacity. It can be a little tense, since they hope not to ‘blow’ their chances, or perhaps forget to say something that could be important.
If you’ve been involved in some kind of accident, you may not know that you need a personal injury lawyer, but seeing one as soon as you can is one of the first and most important steps to take. This is what you can expect when meeting with a lawyer.
1. You Need To Make The First Move
You will need to call a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. This is because there are limitation periods. Only during this period can you bring about any action against the other party. Your lawyer can advise you regarding this period so that you do not miss it. If you do, you may not be able to move forward with the case and you may not be entitled to anything.
2. Discussion Of The Lawsuit
When you first meet with your lawyer, the lawyer is going to want to discuss everything with you in order to gather all the important information. The lawyer will be able to tell you whether you will be eligible for compensation because you will also need to meet certain requirements. The other party must have a duty of care and you must be able to show this.
You need to prove that the injury to you is associated with this breach. Any evidence will be gathered and your lawyer will assess this. The more concrete evidence you have, the better. All of this will allow the lawyer to make calculations regarding compensation.
3. What To Bring
Normally, initial consultations can last for half an hour to one hour. You want to make the most of this. You need to bring certain things to help the lawyer make the assessment. You will need any medical records as proof of your injuries and the extent of these injuries as well as any treatment plans you are going through or will go through. Make sure to keep all receipts.
If you paid for something out of pocket, be meticulous about keeping these receipts since the lawyer will use them to calculate damages. Police reports may be able to show negligence on the part of the other party. This can help get a fair settlement from the insurance company. Perhaps one of the most important things is any correspondence with the other party. If that person contacted you, show this to the lawyer because it can have a huge bearing on the outcome.
4. Building The Case
With everything that has been gathered, your lawyer can now build your case. Remember, since you are making the claim, you need to be able to prove that the other party was responsible for your injuries and therefore, responsible for any monetary damages. The lawyer may interview witnesses and collect statements and if necessary, may speak with or even meet with other experts to gather key information if they feel it is necessary to do so.
Your lawyer will work to get you the best outcome possible. Give them everything they require because it is with all of this that they can fight for you so that you get the compensation you deserve.