While car accidents are not uncommon, they are almost always stressful. Every accident is different, which means every legal situation is a little bit unique. What can you do to help yourself out after your car accident?
When you’re preparing to speak with a car accident lawyer, you may want to be sure you’re taking the right steps to make the most of your discussion. Here are just a few things that can help your consultation as useful as possible.
Save All Relevant Communications
As a general rule, when you are in or preparing to be in, a legal battle of any sort, it’s wise to file away anything and everything that could be relevant later down the line.
If your insurance company contacts you before you have legal representation, don’t respond until you speak to an attorney. Communicating with your insurance company before speaking to a lawyer leaves you vulnerable to inadvertently damaging the value of your claim.
Put any emails or traditional mail in a folder to bring to your attorney’s office. If you already gave a statement to your insurance company, bring a copy of it to your attorney so they can assess the situation.
Compile Your Evidence
Solid evidence is key to any legal battle. It is likely that you have already collected some evidence by the time you are ready to speak to an attorney. Evidence to collect and compile yourself could include:
- Photographs – The more photos of the scene, the better. Take photos of the damage to your vehicle, the scene of the accident, and anything else that could become relevant.
- Police Report – Make sure to note down the badge numbers or license plates of any officers that respond to the scene. It will help expedite the process of requesting the police report.
- Witness Statements – If there were any eyewitnesses on the scene, such as passengers or pedestrians, get their contact information. It may be helpful for them to give a statement down the line.
- Medical Records – Go get checked out by a doctor as soon as possible following your accident, even if you don’t feel hurt. You may not realize you are injured until much later otherwise, and that can be devastating for your case.
- Invoices and Bills – If you have to pay any bills relating to your injuries or the damage to your vehicle, file them away in your case folder.
Your attorney will help you gather further necessary evidence as the case progresses, but the more you are able to bring to the table for the consultation, the sooner things can move forward.
Start a Journal to Share
If your car accident results in injury, it would be wise to start a personal injury journal. To start, write down your account of the accident. The sooner you do it, the better because the details will be fresh. Add as much information as you can gather here, but be sure not to speculate.
Once you have the basic details of the accident written down, document the way your injuries have impacted your life. If you’ve broken your wrist, does that mean you now need assistance with things you would usually do yourself, such as dressing yourself? If you’ve fractured your spine, have you been forced to take time off work while you recover? Are you in pain? The more detail you can include, the better.
A journal documenting your experience will be valuable to help determine the extent of your damages, specifically non-economic damages, like pain and suffering or emotional distress.
As you keep your journal, write down any questions you have for your attorney as they occur to you, so you don’t forget them. You may choose to write them on a separate page to keep them in one place or use a highlighter if they are scattered throughout.
Talk to a Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you or someone you care about have suffered a car accident in Texas and are unsure of the way forward, know that there are resources available to you. Estes Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers is ready to help you understand all of your options and offers free consultations to assist you in this difficult time.
Call 281-238-5400 or fill out the following online contact form to connect with a reliable Texas car accident attorney today.