You’re going to meet for the first time with a knowledgeable, skilled automobile accident Rechtsanwalt Wels to discuss a potential personal injury claim. You can prepare in a way that will make the lawyer feel good about you and increase the likelihood that he or she will agree to represent you by keeping in mind that the lawyer will use the meeting to evaluate you and your possible claim.
Get organised first. You will be need to provide the attorney with a number of documents so they can assess your possible claim. Before your meeting, put together a packet with the following documents:
- The accident report or police report (s). These reports will aid the attorney in gathering more information about the accident, identifying any witnesses, ascertaining their identities and perspectives on how the accident occurred and who was at fault, learning about any unique circumstances, such as alcohol use, and learning whether anyone was cited for the accident.
- Images of the disaster and its surroundings. The images will aid the attorney in gaining a perspective on the accident scene as well as (if they were shot at the time of the accident) the volume of traffic, visibility, and weather.
- Every piece of information you acquired about the other motorist, including name, address, licence plate number, make and model of the car, year, and licence plate number. In order to learn as much information as possible about the other driver, including whether (and how much) insurance the driver has and whether the driver has been in any prior collisions, the attorney will need to identify the other driver.
- The names and contact details of any accident witnesses. Establishing who caused the accident and who is at fault can be done with the help of witnesses. The attorney will want to assess the credibility of the witnesses and see if they all provide a consistent description of the incident.
- Images of the accident-related car damage and cost estimates (or invoices) for repairs. The attorney will be able to assess the location and severity of the damage to the involved vehicles. Insurance adjusters who handle auto accident cases all too frequently evaluate the legitimacy of an injury claim based on the degree of vehicle damage. They, along with prospective jurors, have a propensity to be dubious of situations involving little vehicle damage when there are catastrophic injuries. Even while cases involving minimal impact or modest vehicle damage can result in numerous severe injuries, the attorney will need to assess the likelihood of resistance from claims adjusters and potential jurors.
- Images of any accidents-related injuries you may have sustained. The greatest approach to convey the seriousness of an injury for those that are visible, such as hematomas, fractures, cuts, and the associated scars, is through images. It might also be able to use photos to show how your treatment is progressing.
- All medical records pertaining to the diagnosis of the accidents-related injuries you sustained as well as the care you received for those injuries. Your lawyer will be able to estimate the severity of your injuries from these records, as well as the expense of your medical care. In some circumstances, the injuries can need ongoing care for the rest of one’s life. In such circumstances, the attorney will urge your doctors to provide documentation of the necessity for additional medical care.
- Proof of any missed wages (or diminished ability to earn) and any expenses you incurred as a result of the accident. These losses are recoupable.
- Your car insurance contract. In the event that the driver who caused the accident is uninsured or underinsured, the attorney will need to identify all potential sources of insurance coverage for your claim. Your lawyer might be able to access your policy for further coverage if the amount of your claim is expected to be larger than the insurance offered by the other driver and you have greater coverage under the uninsured/underinsured motorist provision of your own policy.
You should also compile a list of all prior personal injury (or other legal) claims you’ve filed, as well as a summary of any pertinent medical background. All of these claims are tracked by insurance companies, and they may utilise information from those claims to value your present claim. The existence of earlier claims and injuries that are similar to your present injury will be used by insurance adjusters and the defendant’s attorneys to minimise the value of your current claim.
The lawyer will see that you are responsible, organised, and dependable if you are well-prepared for your initial appointment. Along the journey, be considerate of the lawyer’s staff, accessible and prompt in returning calls, on time, and with realistic expectations. This is crucial for top automobile accident attorneys who have the luxury of rejecting cases involving clients who might be challenging to work with.
You will probably be asked to sign a medical release form in order to receive copies of the relevant medical records if the attorney decides to look into the matter further or pursue the claim on your behalf. You’ll probably be asked to sign a retainer agreement by the attorney as well. Because personal injury attorneys typically accept cases on a contingency basis rather than an hourly basis, which means they will only be paid if there is a recovery and their fee will be a percentage of that recovery, these agreements are also frequently referred to as contingency fee agreements in personal injury cases. If new information prompts the attorney to reassess the claim, a provision permitting the attorney to resign as your counsel will probably be included in the agreement. The attorney can start working on the case after you sign the agreement and tell them you want them to handle your claim.
Making the right choice in a car accident attorney might have a big impact on how your case turns out. Remember that the law has time restrictions on how long you can pursue a claim.