For a personal injury attorney, the majority of their cases will lean hard on providing extensive documentation. What might surprise clients, though, is just how much they can help a personal injury lawyer with some of these details. Let's look at four ways clients can assist their attorneys with producing documents for an injury claim or suit.
Initial Reports
While a lawyer can usually track down initial reports from an incident, clients should keep tabs on these items if at all possible. A client may not have chosen an attorney by the time they've received a medical report from the doctor. It's a good idea to collect these reports and make copies of them. Stow the original report paperwork in a safe place, and then send the copies to counsel once you have picked a personal injury lawyer.
Take a similar approach with all reports. If the police give you a report from an incident, copy it and store the original. Similarly, a business might produce an incident report, and copies of anything from a potential defendant are likely to be valuable, too. Keep original reports from everyone who sends you anything about an injurious incident, and always make copies. Notably, once you've retained counsel, you can instruct parties to send paperwork to your attorney. However, don't be surprised if some stuff still ends up mailed to your place.
Bills, Bills, Bills
Just as you'll likely end up with a few reports from an incident, you can expect the bills to come in, also. Do the same thing in terms of storing originals and making copies. You should also contact anyone who is sending you bills to inform them you're currently considering an injury claim. They may be able to make an arrangement to hold off on collection, but you'll still need the copies of the bills.
Pay Stubs
Many cases include demands for damages to cover loss of past wages and future earnings potential. Once more, that means making copies of originals and storing the first versions. If possible, try to have at least 6 months of pay stubs available. The pay stubs are particularly valuable if your income has fluctuated recently. Likewise, two years' worth of tax returns can be handy.
Maintaining a Journal
Finally, it's a good idea to keep a daily journal. This will allow you to make notes about how much pain you experienced each day, including a 1-to-10 rating. Similarly, you can note specific difficulties you had with mobility and daily living as a consequence of the accident.
Reach out to a personal injury attorney for more information about how to assist with your case.
Share16 February 2021
