When you sustain injuries and property damage in a car crash that wasn’t your fault in Las Vegas, you can hire an accident attorney to help you get compensation from the responsible motorist.
Drivers can settle claims without the help of a lawyer; however, a professional, experienced advocate may be able to recover far more compensation on your behalf. The Friedman Injury Law Firm understands that the settlement or verdict will have a significant impact on your future.
Your attorney will aggressively champion your legal rights and negotiate vigilantly to settle for the compensation you deserve. How can you prepare for the first meeting of your legal counsel. Let’s review suggestions on the best way to approach your initial consultation.
Approaching An Initial Consultation with an Accident Attorney
The aftermath of a car crash can be traumatic for the injured party and leads to tremendous financial stress due to income loss and impending medical expenses and vehicle repairs.
Many people opt for legal representation to negotiate with the insurance carrier to reach a settlement or file a lawsuit against the insurance company or the other motorist if settlement is not fair or reasonable.
The lawyer will explain relevant guidelines and procedures that may impact the outcome, such as statute of limitations. You should avoid talking with the insurance carrier until you discuss with the attorney the best way to approach the company with the issue.
Visit – What to Expect During Your Initial Consultation with a Car Accident Lawyer – to learn what you can expect during an initial consult with an accident lawyer. Consider the following steps as you prepare to meet with an accident attorney to discuss a car crash in which you were injured.
All accident-related records/documents
In preparing for the first meeting with your attorney, it’s important to have all records and documents pulled ahead of the appointment. These can be sent to the lawyer to review before the consultation so that you can make the most of the time allotted.
The records will include any accident videos or photos, the police report, insurance policy documents and correspondence, medical care expenses paid out of pocket to date. It’s a good idea to keep a journal or notepad with your daily care outlined as well as any activities, including:
- Emergency room or urgent care visits
- Hospital stays following surgery, illness, or injury
- Diagnostic or imaging, such as X-rays, CT, or MRI scans
- Specialist consult, such as physical therapy
- Other medical treatments or care
The medical care record is a critical piece of your accident claim; it documents the care needed following the incident. All expenses should be tracked, such as:
- Transportation to doctor visits – date/miles driven in your personal vehicle or receipts for public transport
- Pharmacy receipts for medications
- Doctor or hospital visit copays
- Medical bills received via mail
Create a list of questions for your attorney
To make the most of the initial consult, it’s wise to go with a list of questions and a notepad to jot notes during the meeting so that you can recall the discussion. Common questions that apply to most people’s circumstances include the following:
- If I hire your firm, who will represent me, handle my case
- Do I need a lawyer or is the claim something I can handle myself – will it likely go to trial
- What is your success rate with cases comparable to mine
- Can the time I lost from work due to the accident be reimbursed
- What is my accident case worth
- How does a contingency fee structure work
- What is Nevada’s statute of limitations and how will it impact my case
Many people are unfamiliar with filing a lawsuit related to a car crash If you’ve never hired an accident attorney, you can expect a professional to guide you through the legal matter starting with the consult until settlement is negotiated or a verdict is awarded. View here for details on choosing an accident attorney.
Establish your objectives – what you hope to accomplish
Your attorney will question your goals for the consultation, whether you need guidance as to whether you have a viable case or if you’ve already resigned yourself to hiring legal representation.
It’s fine if you have not genuine objectives initially, but if you have expectations for the case, you want to present these at this meeting. Having an idea of what you want to accomplish will help you get the most from the meeting.
Discuss The accident
Be prepared to discuss the details of the crash with the lawyer. The professional will ask how it occurred, what injuries you sustained and the medical care you received. These details are vital in determining how the attorney can help with the case.
You further want to be prepared to answer questions about lost income due to the accident, how much work you’ve missed and if this has threatened your position.
Final Thought
A primary advantage of hiring legal counsel for your accident is that the advocate can start working on the case while you’re in the process of recovering. Civil litigation, however, can take some time as do responses to requests, such as those to insurance carriers regarding negotiations.
Your attorney can explain during the initial meeting potential timelines based on known factors, and you can help the professional stay on track by being prepared for the consult and responding promptly to all attorney’s communication until a settlement or verdict is reached.
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