What should I bring to my first meeting with a personal injury attorney?
Personal Injury - October 24, 2023
Meeting with a personal injury attorney can feel intimidating. The Chicago personal injury attorneys with Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates want you to feel at ease for your first meeting with a personal injury attorney, and following this guide can help you prepare and allow for a more confident approach.
Bring proof of economic damages
Most Chicago injury victims are equipped to meet their economic needs through hard work. But the ability to function normally at work and in life can be taken away after suffering a personal injury. Unfortunately, daily bills and mounting medical debt continue to accumulate.
Economic damages are the losses an individual suffers after an accident defined by a dollar amount. What documentation proves monetary damages and should be brought to a meeting with your personal injury lawyer?
Medical documentation
Medical documentation can paint a picture of an individual’s losses after personal injury. Our personal injury attorneys in Chicago will want to review the following information:
- Medical bills to assess your financial costs along with your current health insurance policy
- Medical records and conclusive reports that validate the extent of your physical injuries, including diagnostic testing
These records help validate the cost of prior treatment, the need for ongoing treatments, and how your health may be permanently altered due to your injuries. These documents are part of what helps us determine the strength of a personal injury claim.
Pay stubs and employment documentation
Documentation of lost wages, time off for recovery, and other essential information that applies to your employment will help us better understand the impact of the personal injury on the loss of income you’ve experienced. Documented changes to work duty can highlight the impact of an injury and your ability to perform your usual work duties.
Receipts for expenses related to the injury
Keeping every receipt related to the costs of your treatment following an injury is vital. Even small costs accumulate quickly and can produce profound economic hardship. Retain receipts for transportation costs, medications, special equipment, and services needed around your home that you could perform before the injury occurred but required assistance after being injured.
Bring documentation from the scene of the accident
When meeting with a personal injury lawyer, the best way to recreate an accident is to bring documentation from the accident scene. This information can differ depending on the type of accident. If a motor vehicle accident caused your injuries, obtain the police report and a copy of your auto insurance policy for the first meeting with a personal injury lawyer.
Pictures capture evidence
For any accident, including an auto accident, photos strengthen a case by preserving the scene long after the evidence has been cleared. Pictures visually record documentation such as road conditions, the lack of structural integrity, improperly functioning work machinery, or any other evidence that proves negligence. Pictures of your injuries during the accident should also be brought to the meeting.
Witness Information to support your claims
Witness information and testimonies can be vital to securing a personal injury claim. Bring the names and contact information of witnesses to an accident. Any provided written statements about the incidents leading to the injury can be invaluable to supporting your claim. Witness statements about how your life has been impacted by the accident also document the losses, limitations, and pain and suffering you have experienced as a result of your injuries.
How can a timeline establishing events and critical dates help my case?
A written timeline will eliminate guessing and create an archive of when events took place. Include when the injury occurred, dates of medical appointments and treatments, time away from work, calls to and conversations with insurance companies, and contact with witnesses. A timeline helps quantify the impact of a personal injury on your life, and Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates is passionate about our clients’ stories.
Schedule a first meeting with a Chicago personal injury attorney
Horwitz, Horwitz & Associates removes the guesswork and intimidation factor from your first meeting with a personal injury attorney. We also provide a free consultation to explain how we can serve you better. Contact us online or call (800) 985-1819 to schedule your meeting today.
