What Should I Bring When I Meet My Little Rock Personal Injury Lawyer?

If you suffer injuries from an accident that occurred while driving, at work, at a friend’s house, while grocery shopping, or any other place, you are likely stressed, frustrated, and overwhelmed with the recovery process, accumulating medical bills, and the income on which you are losing out. As a result, you may feel lost and confused about what to do or where to turn to start the legal process. The good news is that personal injury attorneys are ready and available to guide you through each step of the legal process and ensure that you have everything you need.

Therefore, after you have looked over various attorneys’ websites and decided that one may be the right choice for you, the next step would be to schedule a meeting with your potential personal injury attorney. However, as you prepare for this meeting, you may start to feel anxious and nervous, wondering what exactly you need to take with you. Here are 10 important items that you should bring when you meet your Little Rock personal injury lawyer:

Medical bills

One of the most important items that you can bring to your first meeting with a personal injury attorney is medical bills. These show your attorney that you are injured, you have accumulated hefty expenses due to your injury, and you are undergoing treatment for your injuries.

Medical records

Another item that goes hand-in-hand with your medical bills is medical records. You can usually look at these on your physician or hospital’s website, download them, and print them out for your attorney to see. Your medical records show the severity of your injuries, what the doctor said or thought about your injuries, and how long your recovery or treatment process may take following a car accident.

Insurance information

Many people do not realize how critical it is to bring your insurance information to your meeting with a lawyer. You will need to bring health insurance information as well as car insurance information (if you were involved in a car accident). It is also recommended for you to bring your employer’s insurance policy if you suffered a workplace injury. All this information is beneficial to the attorney because it shows what type of coverage you have as well as what may be available to you at this time.

Pay stubs

Next, you will want to make sure that you bring pay stubs or some type of document showing how much money you normally make weekly or bi-weekly and how much income you are losing from being out of work and healing from your injuries. Your attorney will keep the amount of your missed paychecks in mind when determining compensation for your losses.

Receipts and other proof of out-of-pocket expenses

You most likely have already had to pay some out-of-pocket expenses that could not wait until a settlement is reached. Therefore, it is crucial that you bring prescription receipts, medical receipts, and any other documents showing out-of-pocket expenses that you have paid for, such as medical devices, over-the-counter medicine, or other items used to make you comfortable during this time.

Police report

If you were involved in a car accident, motorcycle accident, or truck accident, there is a high chance that the police were called to the scene of the accident and wrote a report based on what they saw. You will need to bring this report with you to your scheduled meeting. Most of the time, these reports can be easily accessed online, downloaded, and printed. Your lawyer will look over this report to gain a clear idea about what happened, who is liable, where the accident occurred, and more.

Accident report

Another important report to bring with you is an accident report. This is usually filed with your employer if you experienced a workplace accident. When you file your accident report, you should be given a copy, which you will show your attorney. An accident report shows proof that you were injured at work, and you let your employer know about your accident and injuries.

Photos and videos

Photos and videos are excellent items to take to your initial meeting with an attorney. These can be photos and videos of the accident itself, the location of the accident, your injuries, or anything else that you think is beneficial to show.

Documentation

When a person is involved in any type of accident, it is always recommended that they immediately begin documenting everything. Some examples of what you may document are what happened during the truck or motorcycle accident, what time the accident occurred, what the weather was like, your symptoms, when you experience pain, what your doctor said at your medical appointment, and more. This gives your lawyer an in-depth look into what your life has been like since the accident. In addition, there may be things that the lawyer or other professionals missed that you may have details on in your notes and documentation.

Eyewitness information

No matter where your accident took place, there is a high likelihood that another person saw it happen. If you notice anyone nearby, you should make an effort to get their contact information. If you are very hurt and cannot get this information, you may be able to refer to photos and videos to locate the person. However, your attorney will likely want your witness’ phone number and address to ask them if they would be willing to provide a statement about what they saw as this would back up your story and facts.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being prepared ahead of time. Once you have all your items together and ready, it is now time to schedule your free consultation with an experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable Little Rock personal injury attorney. At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we are available to answer any of your questions and concerns as well as offer you a helping hand anytime that you need it. Fill out our contact form to set up your initial meeting with our legal team. We will keep you informed and aware of everything you need before your meeting begins.