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What Documents Should I Bring When Meeting With A Lawyer?

  • By Robert Stahle
  • 29 Sep, 2017
Personal Injury Attorney - Sioux City IA - Legal Documents

Let’s say you’re considering hiring a personal injury attorney. You’ve set up an appointment to meet and discuss your case, but you don’t know what kind of documents you should bring to the initial consultation.

Before your stress levels shoot through the roof, take a deep breath and relax, since this guide has been designed to walk you through everything, from A to Z.

Be Detail Oriented

It’s important for you to understand that the more information lawyers have regarding the details of your case - starting on day one - the more effective they will be in the long run. Bring anything and everything with you that could potentially be relevant to your case, even if you aren’t completely sure that it will be helpful. Good lawyers can help, even without a ton of supporting documentation, but there’s a much better chance you’ll receive your desired settlement when you’ve given your attorney a lot of material to work with.

Gather As Much Documentation As Possible

The exact documents your personal injury attorney will need will vary based on your lawyer’s preferences and the nature of your case. There are, however, some basic things you can bring with you to make your consultation go smoother.

For starters, you’ll want to bring any documents relating to your injury and the incident that caused it. This includes things like days of missed work because of the accident, the police report, and medical bills.

Additional items include:

  • Your driver's license or another form of identification.
  • The police report. If you were involved in anything where a police report was filed, bring it. This will provide your lawyer with critical details regarding your case, including the severity of the accident.
  • Medical bills. The insurance company you are planning on suing will need to see your medical bills before agreeing to any form of settlement. Bring any bills relating to the incident, including hospital stays, treatments, and prescriptions.
  • Receipts. If your vehicle was damaged and required repairs that you had to pay for out of pocket, bring in the receipts for that.
  • Photographs from the scene of the accident. Documenting the accident with photos will help your attorney prove your side of the case. Bring in photos of your injuries, if applicable.
  • Lost wage information. If you lost any wages due to the accident, bring in any information pertaining to that. This includes days of missed work. The other party’s insurance information. This information is critical, since your attorney needs to know who to file suit against.

Know What To Expect

The first time you meet with a lawyer will be more of an exploratory session than anything else. After this first meeting, your lawyer will need time to go through all the details of your case, including injuries, damages, and cost of medical treatment, before assessing a realistic compensatory value to shoot for. Be patient. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it will take some time to build a good case.

If you are in need of legal services for an injury you suffered due to someone else’s negligence in the Sioux City area, contact Fitch and Stahle Law Firm for a free consultation today.

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