Being a Partner in Your Personal Injury Case

Many personal injury lawyers advertise fighting for you or working hard to get you a check when you’ve been hurt. And while this is a big part of what a personal injury lawyer does to help you, there’s a lot more to the recovery process than getting paid. Our Clearwater personal injury lawyers want you to understand start to finish what to expect in a typical personal injury case.

The Intake 

When you first meet with your attorney, regardless of whether you were hurt due to a car wreck, bike accident, truck crash, medical malpractice, or some other type of negligence, your attorney will ask for a lot of information. They will probably want the following:

• Incident or accident reports;
• Witness information;
• Date of injury;
• Where you’ve received medical care;
• Pre-existing injuries or conditions;
• Medications you are taking now (and before the injury); and
• Photos, videos, or any other form of evidence you might have.

Your attorney’s ability to recover on your behalf depends a lot on how willing and able you are to cooperate in gathering information. If you wait three weeks after a car accident to first see a doctor, and you’ve already given a recorded statement to the insurance company, your attorney might still be able to help, but it could be harder now.

Medical Care and Treatment 

Your attorney will need to know where you are receiving medical care and what injuries and conditions you had before the incident. You can be compensated for injuries caused by the incident or any aggravation of prior injuries. But if your lawyer doesn’t know the full picture, they are at a strategic disadvantage when negotiating with insurance adjusters, who likely have access to a lot more of your medical history than you may think.

Communication 

There are plenty of people who complain about lawyers not communicating, but what often goes unseen is the number of clients who lose touch with attorneys. Communication is a two-way street, so to speak. If you move, change phone numbers, become incarcerated, or have any other substantial change in contact information, it’s your responsibility to let your attorney know. Even if you have to send the lawyer a handwritten note with a loved one’s address and phone number, make sure your attorney can reach you.

Hiring the Right Lawyer for You 

There are many injured people, and there are a lot of lawyers too. The best result comes from finding a good fit. When talking to lawyers about your case, look for someone you understand. You and your attorney should be able to understand each other, and you want to be sure your lawyer makes it convenient for you to work with them. Is your attorney nearby? Does your attorney have an office where you can make appointments? Does the firm have experience actually litigating cases to trial?

The law firm of Roman & Roman, P.A. has over 100 years of experience representing injured Floridians throughout the Tampa Bay area. We know what it takes to handle even the most difficult cases. Call us for a free consultation to let us get started on your case today.

Resource:

floridasupremecourt.org/civ_jury_instructions/EntireDocument/entireDocument.pdf