How to Prepare for Your Meeting With a Car Accident Attorney
To be fully compensated for injuries sustained in a car accident, you’ll need to have the assistance of a qualified, experienced attorney. Before you meet with a car accident lawyer in Colorado, review this checklist of documents to help you quickly identify if you have a claim and how much to fight for.
But first:
Make sure you abdicate all blame. Were you obeying all traffic laws at the time of the accident? Do you have insurance? If not, don’t hold back any potentially damaging information. Lawyers will restrict access to anything you disclose, but they don’t like to be surprised. Be honest to get ahead of any case to be made against you. Then gather the following information to prepare for your interview with an attorney.
Seven things to bring to a meeting with a car accident lawyer
- Write down everything you can remember about the car accident, including when and where it happened to the minute and the intersection. What was the weather like? How were the road conditions?
- Are there any witnesses that can testify to these circumstances? Other passengers, cars, cyclists, or pedestrians? Give your lawyer a list of their names, addresses, and phone numbers.
- Bring a copy of the police report regarding the incident. It should describe what you were doing leading up to the time of the collision. These additional details can solidify or interfere with your story.
- Print any pictures that can act as evidence of each car’s angle, severity of impact, etc. Pictures can indicate speed and breakage of the vehicles involved and can attribute responsibility for the accident. A specialist can even use the images for a digital reconstruction to demonstrate the events in court.
- Your car repair estimates can help calculate the settlement amount you’re owed and verify the damage being claimed. Your insurance information is also a factor.
- Bring any proof of your sustained injuries. This is crucial. It could take a year before you land a trial date, and if you’ve fully recovered, you need to substantiate your damage claim with a record of treatment.
- Pictures of any immediate and enduring trauma
- Phone data that an ambulance was called
- Names of hospitals, doctors, and ER personnel that treated you
- Documentation of medical visits and bills
- Initial and follow-up diagnosis and treatment, including your current condition
- Copies of x-rays, tests, and any resulting prescriptions, casts, etc
- Similar injuries in the past that could be recurring
Make a list of any questions you have
You should also prepare your own list of questions for the lawyer. It’s advisable to ask about issues such as how many car accident cases/successes the lawyer has handled, similar cases, whether they went to trial or settled, how they plan to communicate with you, and how fees will be handled.
If you are unsure exactly what to ask or this is your first time working with an attorney, be sure to use some of the following questions to ask a car accident lawyer:
- How much is my personal injury case worth?
- If I hire you, who will handle my case?
- Do you foresee any challenges that may arise from my case?
- What expenses do you think this case will incur?
- What will I need to do on my end to ensure the case is properly prepared?
- What resources and information should I provide to help my attorney prepare the case?
- Will the case go to trial or settle before trial?
- How long does this process typically take?
- What is the time period of the statute of limitations in my case?
- How do you prefer I pay for your legal services?
- Do you represent clients on a contingency fee basis?
Coming in with a list of prepared questions when meeting with an attorney will help both you and the attorney determine whether this will be a good attorney-client relationship and whether the case will likely be successful or is worth pursuing. The car accident attorneys at Bachus & Schanker are happy to answer any client questions during an initial consultation in order to provide exceptional service from the start.
Research the law firm and attorney you will be meeting with
Today’s technology makes it incredibly easy for you to research the law firm and attorney you will be meeting with, so be sure to take advantage of this opportunity prior to your initial consultation. Researching the law firm and attorney you’ll be meeting with will not only allow you to prepare what questions you should ask during the consult, but it will also help you determine whether the law firm and attorney are right for you in the first place.
When researching the law firm and attorney, you should ask yourself whether the law firm or attorney seems to be properly equipped to handle your case and whether they specialize in the areas where you need legal assistance. Many law firms have taken advantage of this tech landscape by creating impressive and informative websites detailing the practice areas within their firm and providing brief introductions to each of their attorneys.
Know your goals for the meeting
While an attorney will be able to answer your questions and explain the legal process and your particular rights, it’s important that you go into the lawyer consultation prepared to discuss your specific goals.
In addition to the important questions you prepared prior to the meeting, it’s helpful to bring in documents such as any medical bills, car repair estimates, police reports, or insurance information that may be relevant to your case for your first meeting with a lawyer. By reviewing your documentation preparation and pieces of information, you’ll be able to express to the attorney what you’re hoping to get out of your case. Other goals for this initial consultation may include ensuring that the attorney is within your budget and that you are comfortable with their billing structure and attorney fees.
How the legal experts at Bachus & Schanker can help you
If you choose to seek help from a car accident lawyer at Bachus & Schanker, you will be diligently represented in your car accident claim. Our personal injury lawyers are fierce attorneys and care deeply about fighting for their clients, especially those who were the victim of an auto accident.
Bachus & Schanker fights for the legalities behind any auto accident lawsuit in Colorado, including car accidents, truck accidents, and drunk driving accidents. We’ll go over lawsuit basics and the stages of the trial in a free case evaluation.
The Bachus & Schanker attorneys understand that you are likely suffering both physically and emotionally after experiencing a car accident, and they are proud to provide successful and professional legal services to every client.
Sources:
Goguen, D. (2023). How To Find The RIght Personal Injury Lawyer.
Henry, T. (2021). 12 questions to ask a lawyer after a car accident. Lee, C. (2023).
