After any automobile accident, and even more so after an 18 wheeler incident, your attorney will have a number of questions for you during your first consultation.
You need not have all the answers, but you should be as prepared as possible and know what some of your attorney’s basic questions will be. This will help you be prepared for your first meeting.
The better prepared and more organized you are, the more quickly and effectively your attorney will be able to get your case up to speed and work towards getting you the compensation you deserve. There is, however, no need to worry if you do not have all of the answers. The additional information your attorney needs can be located quickly.
The Pre-Accident Information and all details: Where were you going and coming from? What had you done the previous day and earlier in that day?
The Accident’s details: This information involves the actual, as you recall them, facts surrounding the accident; witnesses, type of truck that was involved, type of trailer it was pulling, the weather conditions, the date and time of the accident and its exact location, and whether there were other people in the vehicle.
Any details from Post Accident: These facts are the details of what happened to you in the 12 to 24 hours just after the vehicle accident. Who helped you after the crash? Did anyone call the police? Were you or anyone else brought to the hospital? Did you or anyone else go by ambulance? What happened with your vehicle? Lastly, try and get the names of any people you spoke to after the incident and as many of the details of the conversation as you recall will be necessary for your attorney.
The Medical details of your injuries: What exact injuries and/or types of injuries happened to you? How did you get treated? Did you need any emergency surgery? Were their other procedures you have had to treat and recover from your injuries? What are the doctors telling you about your recovery? Is your treatment continuing? Have the doctors told you that you are fully recovered?
Your Medical Bills: Your Lawyer needs to know what was paid for you or what you paid hospitals, pharmacies, doctors, and emergency responders related to your treatment since your wreck.
Your Damages need to be calculated: How much, if any, time were you away from work? How much, if any, money did you not collect or get paid because you couldn’t do your work? What other damages have you suffered because you could not work and pay your bills?
Pain levels: Do you still have any lingering pain from injuries that happened in the accident? If so, you really need to let your attorney know about it. Your lawyer will include an amount in any damage calculations to account for this.
The effect upon your family: Has your family had to take care of you during your recovery? How has your accident had an effect on them? Have any of them had to take off from work to take care of you? How many days or hours of work have your family members had to miss? Add up how much they have they lost, in dollars, because of taking care of you?
Statements, written or oral: Have you had any conversation with any other person about the details of your accident or injuries? Has the truck’s insurance carrier tried to contact you? Have they requested that you sign anything, including a possible waiver?
Do you have any pictures taken of you while you were at the hospital or doctor, if this applies, or any pictures of the accident scene or of your vehicle and any pictures of any visible injuries, bruises or scars?
This list of things is very important. Your attorney will create the building blocks and basics of your case with this information. The more specific facts you are able to give us, the better we can help you. If you don’t have the specific answers to each of this list of questions, don’t worry. We can always contact the investigating police agency. We can then get a copy of the police report, and build the answers to each of these questions about your case anyway.
Are you in Corpus Christi? Have you been in an accident with an 18 wheeler or other big rig?
Give Carabin Shaw a call. We can help. Call us at 361.444.1111, local if you’re in Corpus Christi.