If you’ve been in a car accident, you might be wondering if you have a case to sue the other party for damages. The easiest way to assess your case, is to consult an attorney in your area. For example, if you live around Alexandria, you’ll want to have a free consultation with a car accident lawyer in Alexandria, VA.
If you’re hesitant to share information about your case, just remember that you’re protected by attorney-client privilege. This is true before you even pay anything to your attorney, so you can be open and honest throughout the process.
Meeting with an attorney can help answer your questions about the lawsuit process and provide you peace of mind that you’re taking the right steps to restitution. So, let’s take a look at the process your attorney will go through with you in assessing your car accident case.
Evaluate the accident
Your attorney will ask for details about your car accident. Bring the police report to your consultation so that your attorney can review all details. If you have photos from the scene or of your car’s damage, be sure to have those on hand as well.
This information is great for helping your attorney better understand the scene of the accident. This can shed light on the at-fault party and how the accident happened.
Additionally, by reviewing the accident details, your attorney may be able to help you review any long-term damages to your vehicle or vehicle value so you can best negotiate that area of your settlement with the insurance company.
Review medical information
Once your attorney understands the accident and details, he or she will ask to see the documentation related to your injuries. Be prepared to share information from your doctor or doctors related to your treatment.
All details you can provide will be helpful including diagnosis, treatment plan, cost of care and impact of your injuries on your daily life.
Be sure that as you review medical information, you share with your attorney work time missed. Medical appointments can be a burden on top of normal life. They often mean pulling that time from somewhere else, such as your job. Lost wages during this time can be negotiated as part of your settlement.
It may also be possible that your injuries have impacted your ability to work. Don’t be shy about sharing limitations your doctor says are long-term. Depending on your profession, these changes could have a lasting effect on your earning abilities.
Also share with your attorney details on your injury’s impact to your daily life. Has it meant getting additional help with household chores and activities? Is it affecting sleep? Have you missed out on planned activities either due to medical appointments or your injury itself?
Discuss late onset symptoms
Car accident injuries can be tricky. After a car accident, your body is likely coping by sending adrenaline throughout your veins.
Your body will be helping you cope with the stress of the accident as you document everything. While you work through the details of reporting the accident to local police and collecting information your body is helping you feel normal. On the scene, they may ask about injuries you sustained and you might have responded that you felt fine.
However, several hours of even days later back or neck pain could become a very difficult thing for you to deal with. These are late onset symptoms that you still should have a doctor evaluate and treat. Just because you didn’t document an injury at the scene of the accident doesn’t mean it isn’t valid and a result of the accident.
Your attorney can walk you through how to deal with reporting these symptoms. This will provide you peace of mind after the accident to achieve full healing.
Gore and Kuperman car accident lawyer Alexandria VA and surrounding area
Gore and Kuperman have been longtime residents and car accident lawyers in the Alexandria, VA, area. We have vast experience in personal injuries resulting from car accidents. And we’re here to be your partner along the road to recovery and healing.
Too busy with medical appointments and your normal activities for an in-person meeting? We can do your initial consultation on the phone and you can send over your materials digitally.
Feel free to give us a call if you’ve been in an accident, even if you’re still working through details. It’s best to contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible following an accident. This way, we can help guide you through the process and know what to say.
This blog post is not legal advice, nor is it intended to be used as such. Specific case facts should be discussed with an attorney.