Your chances of winning a car accident case depend on the data your lawyer has. Here are car accident documents to have when meeting your lawyer.
Did you know that over 1.5 million car accidents cause injuries each year? If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you’re likely facing high medical costs and missed work time due to the mistakes of someone else.
You deserve to be compensated for these damages. Unfortunately, that often means fighting the insurance company or the other driver in court. A good lawyer can help you with this.
But during your initial consultation, it’s important to bring any documents that relate to the car accident.
In this guide, we’ll be discussing eight of the car accident documents that you should bring to your lawyer at the initial meeting. That way, they get a clear picture of the situation.
1. Accident Report
Your insurance company or the court of law aren’t just going to take your word that you didn’t cause the accident. They need an objective document from a third party that describes how the accident unfolded.
That comes in the form of an accident report written by a law enforcement officer. This is why it’s important to call the police, even for a seemingly minor accident.
Answer all of the officer’s questions while they fill out the report. Once they finish, ask them for a copy of it. Or, if you forget, you can go down to the station the next day and request the records.
2. Photos or Videos of the Accident
While these might not technically be documents, they do represent invaluable evidence from the scene of the crime. If you’re able, try to take pictures and videos of the accident directly after you’ve been hit, especially before you move the cars off the road.
Try to get shots from every angle, so you get a full picture of the accident. This will help both the police officers and your lawyer get a clearer picture of who caused the accident.
They’re also useful if one of the parties denies being the cause of the accident. Don’t panic if you are too injured to take pictures or videos. Your health and safety should be your first priorities here.
3. Copies of Your Insurance Policy
Many people think that their insurance company is there to help them. The reality is that insurance companies are businesses that want to make money.
They’ll often do this by offering you an early payout or by refusing your car accident injury claim. Your lawyer can negotiate with the car insurance company.
But before they can do this, they need to understand the ins and outs of your policy. So make sure you bring a copy of this document so they can find out what you’re entitled to.
4. Medical Records
If you were seriously injured in a car accident case, you’re likely facing expensive medical bills for your injuries. Unfortunately, many people in the United States can’t afford these costs.
One Census study found that 19% of people can’t afford to pay for their healthcare costs right away. If you were injured at the hands of others, you deserve to be compensated for this debt.
So, make sure to keep any documents related to your injuries. This should include notes from your doctor that the injuries were caused by the car accident.
It should also include any bills related to hospital stays and recovery appointments. When you show medical records to your car accident lawyer, they can get a better idea of how much compensation you’re entitled to.
5. Witness Contact Information
In the event your insurance company or the other party disputes your claims, you will need to prove who caused the accident. In addition, to photos and a police report, you should also get the contact information of anyone who saw the accident.
Simply ask for the name, phone number, and email of any bystanders who saw the crash. Ideally, you won’t need to reach out to them.
But in the event of a dispute, statements from witnesses can be a valuable asset for proving who caused the accident.
6. Vehicle Estimates
Cost related to your injuries isn’t the only damage that you can recover after a car accident. If your vehicle was damaged or totaled, you’re also entitled to repairs or replacement costs.
When you’re able, take your vehicle to a qualified mechanic to get an estimate of the costs needed to repair or replace it.
Bring this document to your lawyer, so they have a better idea of both the extent of the accident and how much damage to ask for in regard to your vehicle.
7. Proof of Premium Payments
Your insurance company will use any excuse to deny your claim. If you haven’t been paying your insurance premiums, they’ll jump on this excuse.
So make sure you bring proof of your premium payments to your personal injury lawyer. It doesn’t matter if they’re bank statements or credit card statements. Just make sure they have the date and time of your payments.
8. Pay Records
If you were seriously injured, there’s a good chance you missed valuable work because of these injuries. Make sure to calculate how much time you’ve lost in wasted wages.
Bring these pay records to your lawyer so they can figure out how much damages you’re entitled to.
Have Your Car Accident Documents? Contact Pablo G. Martinez Law Firm
We hope this article helped you learn more about the car accident documents you should bring to your lawyer. Remember that it’s okay if you’re missing a few of these documents.
The important thing is to find an experienced legal professional that you can trust. If you live in the Tampa or Miami, Florida, areas, look no further than the Pablo G. Martinez Law Firm.
Our firm has been representing those in need for over twenty-five years. During this time, we’ve become experts in all forms of personal injury representation. So if you’re ready for the legal help you deserve, contact us today.
