What Should I Bring to an Initial Consultation with a New York Personal Injury Attorney?

An initial consultation with a personal injury attorney can be a daunting prospect. You might still be deciding whether you want to move forward with a personal injury lawsuit, and you might be uncertain about your next steps. You may be wary of working with a lawyer, and perhaps you feel completely overwhelmed by the complexities of the legal world. All of these concerns are perfectly understandable, and you can approach your consultation in a more confident manner if you take the time to prepare. In order to get the most out of your consultation, you may wish to bring various things with you.

Medical Records

In most cases, you can only file a personal injury lawsuit if you have suffered some kind of injury. As a result, it is important to bring medical records with you to your initial consultation. If you were released from the emergency room after your accident, you may need to contact the relevant healthcare provider and request copies of these records. Depending on the nature of your injury, different kinds of records may be necessary. For example, medical images may be helpful in the event of a fracture.

While your personal injury lawyer is not a medical expert, they can nonetheless examine these records and make certain deductions about your case. Perhaps most importantly, they can consider the economic damages associated with your injuries – and this will help them pursue appropriate compensation on your behalf. It is important to note that you may need treatment in the future after an accident – and doctors’ notes can help a personal injury lawyer understand your long-term prognosis.

Photographs

In the era of smartphones, most injured victims are perfectly capable of collecting their own photographic evidence after an accident. This might include photos and videos from the crash scene. These images could help determine who might be at fault, the damage to the vehicles, and the nearby traffic signage. You might also choose to take pictures of your injuries immediately after the accident. This can help establish the severity of your experiences.

Finally, photographic evidence can help establish your non-economic damages – such as the trauma and stress of the situation you were forced to endure. This might include not only the shocking accident scene, but also the pain and suffering you experienced while receiving medical treatment.

Witness Contact Information

It is always a good idea to collect contact information from witnesses after a crash. These witnesses can help you establish various factors – including who might have caused the accident. Although it is not always possible to get phone numbers from nearby witnesses after suffering a serious injury, you should definitely bring this information to your initial consultation if you have it. As you focus on the healing process, your lawyer can follow up with these eyewitnesses and collect more detailed reports on your behalf.

Insurance Documents

It might also be helpful to bring your insurance documents to your initial consultation. Insurance may play an important role in your personal injury claim – especially in a “no-fault” state like New York. At the very least, you should tell your lawyer which insurance company you have a policy with. More detailed insurance documents can help your lawyer understand things like policy limits, deductibles, and other important factors.

Income Evidence

Finally, you should attempt to collect some form of evidence that establishes your income-earning history. This is important evidence because it can help you seek adequate compensation for the wages you have missed as a result of your accident. Furthermore, it will help establish how much income you are expected to miss in the future as a result of your accident. These documents may be especially helpful after accidents that have led to permanent disabilities.

Examples of income documents include tax returns, income statements, pay stubs, and so on. Do not worry if you cannot provide a detailed account of every job you have ever had. Only a few years of income history may be important in this situation.

Find a Qualified Personal Injury Attorney in New York

If you have been searching for a qualified personal injury attorney in New York, look no further than David Resnick & Associates, P.C. Over the years, we have helped numerous injured plaintiffs throughout New York. While an initial consultation can be a daunting prospect, it is necessary to take this first step if you are serious about pursuing results. Remember, internet research can only get you so far. Book your consultation today, and we can provide you with much more detailed guidance on how to prepare.

Related Links:

• Running Accidents That Might Lead to a Personal Injury Claim
• David Resnick Shares Story of Becoming a Personal Injury Lawyer in NYC

Author: David Resnick

Founder of David Resnick & Associates, P.C., a New York personal injury law firm in charge of providing exceptional and personal service to each of our clients in various areas including car accidents, slip and fall, wrongful death, construction accidents, and premises liability. David Resnick founded the firm in 1998 after working in large law firms where he saw a need for greater client communication and more personal care.