You were out there enjoying the freedom associated with riding your motorcycle on the road, and suddenly, you got involved in an accident. In one second, you are facing a long recovery from injuries and concerns about how to pay for your medical care and other losses. You naturally wonder what you can do to best protect your rights.
A good place to start is talking to an experienced motorcycle accident lawyer, and if you do so, he or she will likely have you come to their office or speak on the phone for a free consultation. They may or may not tell you what to expect or what you need to do before visiting their office, but below are some of the things you might do before your first meeting with a Downey motorcycle accident lawyer.
Bring All Medical Information
Documents the accident attorney will need to review include:
- Name of the hospital where you were treated or are still receiving treatment
- Dates of care at the hospital, including overnight stays, follow-up visits, etc.
- Name of the ambulance company that took you to the hospital and copy of bills
- Documents from the attending physicians with diagnosis and treatments
- Copies of all medical bills for hospital stays and follow-up treatments
- Written prognosis and contemplated future treatment by medical professionals
- Name of any prescription drugs or treatments prescribed
- Copies of bills with proof of amounts paid
- Future treatment plans
Bring Your Insurance Information
During this initial meeting with the accident lawyer, they would want to know about your motorcycle insurance coverage, your health coverage, and any other policies you might have. While you are filing a claim against another driver’s insurer, you might need to notify your own companies, as well, and a lawyer can review this.
Bring Supporting Documentation
Supporting documentation may include things like photos you may have taken at the accident scene, names of witnesses who may be willing to support your claim, contemporaneous notes or notes you later took concerning the accident, and so on.
Be Prepared to Answer Questions
The personal injury lawyer reviewing your case will want to know as much as possible about the details of what happened when the accident occurred and after the accident. These questions include what you and other drivers did before, during, and after the accident.
Your lawyer will also ask about your injuries and if you’re experiencing any pain or mental suffering, as that is often a major component of compensation in many cases. They may also want to know how the accident has affected your being able to work, as that, too, is another important loss for which you can seek compensation.
In answering these questions, do not hold back anything from the motorcycle accident lawyer. The more information you give them, the better the lawyer will be able to properly evaluate your case and devise a strategy to obtain the best outcome and maximum compensation. Also, remember, all communication with your lawyer is confidential, so no one else would know about it unless you disclose the information.
