If you have been seriously injured in an accident, you will want to speak with a personal injury attorney about your legal rights. You may be entitled to financial compensation if someone else was at fault, and seeking the compensation you deserve will involve filing a personal injury claim with the help of an experienced attorney.
To speak with a personal injury attorney, you will need to schedule a free initial consultation.
This initial consultation is truly free—you do not have to pay anything to speak with an attorney, and you are under no obligation to move forward. Your first personal injury consultation is an opportunity to learn about your legal rights and make informed decisions about your next steps.
With this in mind, what should you bring with you?
Generally speaking, the more information you can bring to your first personal injury consultation, the better. Here are five examples of items you might have (or be able to create) and how they can help:
If you have not done so already, you should take 15 minutes or so to sit down and take detailed notes about the accident. Write down everything you can remember. For example, if you were injured in a car accident, you will want to try to record details such as:
It can be difficult to keep all of the details organized in your head (and your memory can start to fade surprisingly quickly), so taking notes will help ensure that you are able to provide your personal injury attorney with as much information as possible.
If you were able to take any photos or videos with your phone at the scene of the accident, you should bring these to your free consultation as well. Photos and videos can be extremely valuable for assessing what happened and who (or what company) might be responsible. Your personal injury attorney will want to make copies of any photos or videos you have so that he or she can examine them in detail and potentially use them as evidence in your case.
If you received a copy of the police report, an accident report, or any other form of documentation at the scene of the accident, you should bring this to your first personal injury consultation. Likewise, if you have another driver’s or a property owner’s or business’s insurance information, you should bring this information with you as well.
Your medical records will play a key role in your personal injury case. Not only will they be important for proving the severity and costs of your injuries, but they will also be important for linking your injuries to the accident. While your attorney will be able to obtain your medical records from your healthcare providers if necessary, it will be helpful to bring any records you have with you to your free initial consultation.
If you have any questions about your legal rights or what you can expect if you file a personal injury claim, you should write these down in a list—and you should bring your list with you when you meet with a personal injury attorney for the first time. An experienced personal injury attorney will understand that you have questions and will be more than happy to provide all of the answers you need.
To be clear, while it can be helpful to bring these items with you to your first personal injury consultation, you do not need any of these to speak with an attorney about your legal rights. The most important thing is that you speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon after your accident as possible.
After an accident, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. You may be dealing with pain, medical appointments, missed work, and constant questions about what comes next. The good news is that you do not need to have everything figured out before speaking with a lawyer. Your first consultation is simply a starting point, and it is designed to give you clarity, not add more stress.
Even if you only have a few details or documents, that is enough to begin. What matters most is taking that first step before time passes and important evidence becomes harder to gather. Insurance companies are already working to protect themselves, and you deserve someone doing the same for you.
To schedule a FREE consultation with an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney, call (312) 982-0588 or tell us how we can reach you online now.
