What Should I Bring to My First Meeting with a Charlotte Injury Attorney?

Immediately after an accident, the last thing you want to worry about is filing a lawsuit against the person responsible for your injuries, pain and suffering. You should always focus on your health and well-being first and foremost. But once you are ready to file action against the party at fault in your accident, Price, Petho & Associates will be there to help you every step of the way.

When you come to your first meeting with us, our personal injury attorneys will talk to you about your case and work to secure you the best possible outcome for your claim. We have had hundreds of cases tried in front of a jury and obtained hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. However, it is important to be prepared so we can fast-track your claim and get working on securing your compensation as quickly as possible.

From the day of your accident

Remember to bring a few pieces of important information demonstrating evidence of your claim from the day of your accident. If the police arrived at the scene, you should already have copies of most of this. If you do not, make sure to call and ask for copies for your attorney. Some of the evidence may include:

• Police report – This will prove that there was an accident and typically list who was at fault for the accident.
• Photos from the scene – Photos will showcase any evidence that you could not physically take with you. If you were involved in a car accident, photos should be captured of both cars and their damage.
• Video surveillance footage – If there were any stores or traffic cameras around the accident, try to reach out and ask for copies of their footage. This will show how the accident occurred.
• Eyewitness statements – Police will handle this in their reports most of the time, but it never hurts to ask eyewitnesses to detail their version of events. Make sure it includes their names and contact information.
• Your insurance policy – The actual type of insurance you should bring will depend on what type of accident in which you were injured. Homeowners’, renter’s, car, or health insurance are the most commonly needed.
• The other party’s insurance information – This is needed so that your attorney can speak directly to the other person’s insurance company without you having to be involved.
• Copies of traffic tickets – If you were given a traffic ticket at the time of the accident, make sure to show it to your attorney. If you know that the party you believe is at fault was served a traffic ticket, make sure your attorney is aware of it.

From your doctors

You should bring a copy of your medical insurance, as listed above, but there are a few more files you should have collected and ready to go for your first meeting with a Charlotte injury attorney. Remember that the more records the better when it comes to documenting and filing your claim. Other medical records from your doctor would be incredibly helpful, like:

• Disability coverage certificate – If you were put on disability because of your accident, this document is especially important.
• Medical bills – Bring every bill from your first visit to the doctor or hospital after your accident to the most recent visit pertaining to those injuries. It is important to know exactly how much you spent out of your own pocket due to your injuries.
• Medical records – These will detail every injury you claim to have, verified by a doctor. They should also include if you will need any future treatment.
• List of prescription medications – Including the cost of your medication pertaining to the injuries from this accident and how often you need to take them could help your case even more.

What else you can bring to your initial meeting with your lawyer

It seems like quite a lot of documents to bring along for only your first meeting with a personal injury lawyer, but trust us when we say that the more information you come with, the easier your case could be. If you have any additional records that prove you lost money, lost income, or suffered from pain and trauma, make sure to bring those and show them to your attorney. Some of those other documents may include:

• Receipts – Save receipts from things you needed to buy because of your accident, like canes or walkers, or things needing repair, like your car.
• Documentation of lost work or income – If you missed work because of your injuries, bringing a document to prove it can help you receive compensation.
• Post-accident diary – This is not required by any means, but keeping a log of how you were feeling each day after your accident could help solidify your case even further.

It is important to remember that you need to quickly seek medical care for your injuries, report the accident, and document your injuries in order to have the bare necessities of filing a personal injury claim. Failing to do any of these can cost you the compensation you are entitled to receive. It is also best to reach out to an experienced personal injury attorney to help you if you have any questions along the way.

If you or a loved one has been in an accident in or around the Charlotte area, reach out to the team at Price, Petho & Associates for help today. You could be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering and other losses. Our personal injury attorneys have extensive experience handling complex accident claims throughout the state, and we have the resources and knowledge necessary to help recover the compensation you need. To schedule a free consultation, call 704-372-2160, or fill out our contact form today. We have offices in Charlotte, Rockingham, and Rutherfordton.