Many people are unprepared when they consult with an attorney about their case for the first time. As a result, they may fail to explain their claim in its entirety, or neglect to provide key documents which might prove-up their damages or the liability of the other parties involved. What you should bring with you on your visit to your attorney will, of course, depend upon the type of case you have, but provided below is a general list of things that will help your lawyer prosecute your case in the most efficient, expedient way possible.
- Your narrative of the events, perhaps provided in an electronic format if possible.
- Any and all pictures of anything involved: your injuries, the scene of the injury, the vehicles involved, the building or objects involved, and any property damaged, as appropriate to your case.
- Any other media you may have like video, audio or a diagram of the event.
- Any reports generated as a result of the injury such as police reports, fire marshal reports, or security reports. If these are unavailable, but you know such reports were generated, provide the entity who took the report, e.g. the California Highway Patrol, and any case or report numbers you may have.
- Any statements by anybody including the adverse party or third-party witnesses. If you don’t specifically have statements from third-party witnesses, but have contact information, provide that instead.
- Any medical records generated in treating any injuries you sustained as a result of the accident/incident. This includes medical bills, doctor reports, x-rays, and so forth.
- Any documents which talk about any property damage such as invoices or estimates for repair.
- Anything which details contact and/or insurance information for the party responsible for your injuries.
- Anything from both doctors and your employer which talk about any lost work.
Armed with these items, you will better enable your attorney to quickly and effectively handle your claim, thereby allowing you a speedier resolution.