7 Documents to Have When Meeting a Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney
There are an average of 6 million car accidents in the US every year! Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to get injured in an accident. This can of course lead to a visit to a motor vehicle accident attorney.
Your chances of winning a car accident depend a lot on the type of data you can provide to your attorney. Building your case and being prepared is an incredibly important step in the process.
To start with, there are a few important documents you will need when you speak to your lawyer. Read on to find out what to bring!
1. Insurance information
In any case, whether or not you are at fault, you will need proof of insurance. In addition to the guidelines, bring along any email, notes from phone calls, or chats you had with your insurance company about the incident.
If you have the other party’s insurance information, bring it with you as well. Remember, federal law requires all drivers to be insured. This is to protect other drivers and pedestrians.
2. Police report
The first thing to do if you have had an accident is to contact the police.
The first thing to do if you have had an accident is to contact the police. When the police arrive at the scene of the accident, they make detailed notes of what happened. You will consider everyone at the crime scene.
This is done to provide an unbiased report in the event of a legal dispute. The officer will make a note of who he believes is responsible for the collision.
If you don’t have this report, obtaining one is pretty easy. Contact the area where the accident occurred and follow the instructions.
3. Photographic Evidence
It is also beneficial to have image or video documentation of the crash or its aftermath. Many people have dashboard cameras installed in their cars. This can prove who was responsible for the accident.
In addition, photos and videos of the episodes can help identify details that were overlooked in the police report. You would be surprised what you can tell from the consequences of a crash.
4. Medical reports and bills
A less serious car accident may not leave you feeling injured. However, it is always a good idea to be checked by a doctor after a car accident. In fact, some car accident injuries can take a while to show up.
Regardless of your injuries, you should keep a detailed record of every visit you make. You need to keep track of treatments, prescriptions, therapy visits, and more.
Keep track of any medical costs you may incur following your accident. You may be able to reimburse these costs if you have the correct documentation on hand.
These accounts will help you cover the costs, prove the timing of your accident and potentially earn more pain and suffering in your settlement.
5. Vehicle damage reports
It is highly unlikely that your vehicle will do without damage. Even if you can’t find any damage, take your vehicle to a mechanic as soon as possible. Similar to damage to one’s own body, the car may not show signs of damage immediately.
If you wait too long to report damage, it may be questionable. You may not be able to prove that they were caused by the accident.
Even if you haven’t paid for the repairs, be sure to keep a record of how much you owe or have paid for. Also, keep detailed lists of what repairs have been or need to be done.
As long as proper documentation has been retained, you can likely reimburse the cost.
6. Payroll
Even with a less severe crash, there is a possibility that you will have to miss some work. There are many reasons why you might not make it. This includes missing work due to the actual crash, seeking medical treatment, attending therapy sessions, recovering or going to court.
You need reports detailing the exact dates when you missed work. You will also need proof that you actually missed this data due to the circumstances following the crash. You can work with your HR department to get proof of the wages you would otherwise have earned.
7. Personal written report and witnesses
Your police report will likely include an account of those involved. You should prepare a full and detailed personal written report of what happened during your accident. You were one of the closest people involved in what happened.
If you are preparing this before meeting with your personal injury attorney, create a policy to talk about the accident. However, it can be difficult to prove this from your account alone.
This is where witnesses come in. These people are very valuable resources. Before leaving the scene of the accident, make a note of the contact information for each person who saw the accident.
Your attorney can seek testimony from witnesses to assist you with your case and to verify your personal account.
Meeting with your motor vehicle accident attorney
When you meet with your auto accident attorney, you have a lot to talk about. Bringing these documents with you can help you find the best case for you. Not only will these items improve your chance of winning, but they can also help you get a bigger payoff.
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