So, you have come to the decision to pursue a claim regarding your accident or personal injury in Pasadena, CA. You have decided on whom you are going to see for a free consultation to see if your particular situation is worth pursuing, but you’re unsure of what, if anything, you should bring with you.
Having all your information together gives the personal injury lawyer a chance to really take a good look at what’s going on and evaluate your position. Here are some things that you should bring.
Personal Account of the Event Including Timeline and Notes – Having detailed notes of your observations leading up to, during, and after the incident and a timeline is imperative to building the story of what happened. Here are some key things to have in your notes:
- What led up to the accident or event
- Time and Date
- Weather and Conditions
- Conversations at the scene, with whom, and what was said
- Possible video or picture sources
- Symptoms of injuries when they appeared and explanations
Police Reports / Accident Reports – Bring copies of these reports. If you did not receive a copy at the scene, you may put in a public record request with the Southern California police department in the city where the incident occurred. These documents can have information that supports your position from an unbiased source and information that does not appear in your own personal account of the event.
Photographs / Video – Try to get pictures or videos of the area around where the incident occurred and any damage that was done to you personally or any items involved. Skid marks, lighting in the area, and signage conditions can also help move the process along. If you need to get more documentation, a personal injury lawyer may be able to help through legal channels.
Witness Information and Reports – If there were witnesses at the scene of the accident/ incident, gathering statements from them and documenting what happened from their perspective, may help to further support your claim.
Insurance Information – Having both your insurance and if there’s another party(s) involved, their insurance documentation will be imperative. Any correspondence or phone calls with your insurance or the other party’s insurance need to be documented and brought to the free consultation. Here is a list of things you can bring for the insurance information:
- Policy
- Adjuster’s Name
- Communications
- Insurance card
Medical Records / Health Care – Collect a copy of your medical records that are the result of seeking help regarding the accident or incident. Ask for them to be detailed records of any therapies or ongoing appointments, procedures, and prognosis that are related to the accident/ incident. This will help determine the scope of what you can ask for. Here is a list of some things to include:
- Doctor reports
- Hospital ER Reports
- Labs
- X-rays
- Tests
- Appointment Records
Pay Stubs and Expense Receipts – Being able to document time lost or expenses incurred by you because of the accident/ incident will help prove the monies that you’ve lost or had to spend. These include pay stubs in the reports that show days off or sick leave you had to take. Plus, any expenses that you may have had for doctor’s appointment fees, lab fees, medical equipment, or medicines. Also, any receipts for repairs of the vehicle if they were related and other types of expenses you may have had to pay.
Having all of this information organized in a folder to bring with you to your free consultation will help the personal injury lawyer better assess the potential claim you’ve come to talk with them about. This will help the personal injury lawyers to evaluate the viability of your case so they can evaluate it and make decisions.
Our Pasadena Personal Injury Attorneys are here to ensure your rights are being protected and fight for you in situations where you’ve become injured. If you are missing some of this documentation when you arrive at your consultation with Grigoryan Blum & Grigoryan, we may still be able to advise you in determining whether you have a case and the best route to receiving your compensation.
Click here for our complete guide to hiring a personal injury lawyer.