After suffering a personal injury, you need to collect any and all documents associated with the injury and the circumstances surrounding it. These will become the foundations on which your case is built. Which documents are vital for building a strong case? Here is a breakdown of the eight most important documents that you will need to give your injury attorney to build a water-tight case.
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The Accident Report:
If the police were called and arrived on the scene, they would have put together an accident report. You will need to get a copy of this report. If you were involved in a car accident, in most states you can request the report online through the local DMV.
Medical Records:
To ensure you receive compensation for any medical bills incurred, you will need to have comprehensive records of any and all treatment you received. This should include both physical treatments, and psychological treatment if you had to receive therapy as a result of the accident.
Doctor’s Notes:
If you lost wages as a result of your personal injury, you will need to provide a note from your doctor. The note should include the dates you could not work.
A Letter from Your Employer:
To determine how much you are entitled to in lost wages, your attorney will need to see a letter from your employer which details your job title, rate of pay, typical working hours (including overtime), and how many days of work you missed. Even if you used personal days or vacation days, these should be included in the days of work you missed. Finally, the letter should detail the total amount of payment you missed out on.
Written Statements from Eyewitnesses:
If you were able to get eyewitnesses to produce an account of the accident, you can present these as evidence in your favor. These should be notarized and appear alongside the witness’s name and contact information.
Photos:
Take plenty of photos of the scene of the accident and any damage done to any property or items. This helps provides an accurate picture of the nature of the accident and how severe it was. It is also useful to document the scene of the accident. You or your loved ones can take these, or they can be from surveillance footage at the scene.
Any Written Communications with Insurance Adjusters:
If you have already been in contact with insurance adjusters, you should have asked them to put their correspondence in writing. Bring this along to your meeting with an attorney. It could be useful as it provides a detailed log of who said what to whom and promotes transparency throughout the negotiation process.
Your Insurance Policy:
You should bring a copy of your health insurance policy. This will help your attorney establish how much of your treatment you paid for out of your own pocket and how much you are entitled to in compensation.
In the event of a car accident, your attorney will also likely want to know exactly what you are covered for under your insurance policy.
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