Personal Injury Case Checklist

When you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault and want to pursue compensation in an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit, there is a lot of information to maintain. You might want to create a checklist to help keep everything organized.

Organizing Your Data

It may help you to separate everything into two categories: Documents and Important Information. Your checklist then might include things like this:

Documents: You should retain any accident-related documents that come into your possession.

• Key witness statements and statements from the opposing party
• Medical bills, including pharmaceutical receipts, bills from doctor visits, chiropractor visits, etc.
• Accident reports or police reports
• Insurance policies
• Medical coverage policies
• Other pertinent policies such as veteran’s insurance
• Any available video footage or photographs of the accident scene shortly after the event
• Pay stubs, if you have lost wages due to the accident

Important Information: When preparing your case, you’ll need to keep track of significant detail like these:

• Date, place, time, and summary of the circumstances surrounding the accident
• Name and contact information of the party that caused your injuries
• Names and contact information of other individuals involved in the accident
• Names and contact information of those who witnessed the event
• Name and contact number of the hospital or emergency room that you visited
• Name and contact information of the doctor or doctors who treated you
• Information regarding all relevant insurance policies, both of yours and the other parties involved
• A list of dates that you missed work due to your injury

This may seem like a lot but being thorough at this stage will help you later. Verify all your information and make sure it is correct. Take the time to write an account of the event in your own words shortly after the accident as well as to keep a journal of any pain and suffering you experience as a result of the accident.

How To Get a Lawyer to Take Your Case

Despite what you may have heard, most lawyers will not automatically take any case that comes through the door. Most lawyers must be discerning about the cases they take on. They must have a reasonable expectation of winning the case and have an appropriate amount of time to devote to it. Don’t get discouraged if the first attorneys you approach don’t take your case.

Keep these tips in mind:

Present a Winner: If there is a very low probability of winning your case, most lawyers will not take it. They don’t want to be known for losing cases, and they usually don’t make any money unless they win. This is where your personal injury case checklist might be of help. This will help you present the facts of your case clearly to a lawyer. That way, the lawyer can quickly determine whether your case has merit and is worth pursuing.

What Not to Present: If you approach an attorney with vague claims about how you were wronged or injured, they might not have enough information about the case to be willing to take it on. Also, be aware of how you present your case to an attorney. As you would in most business matters, be polite. It goes a long way.

Try not to get discouraged if you can’t convince an attorney to take your case immediately. Lawyers often turn down cases because they already have a heavy workload or are not familiar enough with the exact type of claim you want to file. Don’t give up. Interview many lawyers in your area, focusing on those with experience in the type of case you want to pursue.

When you have all the details of your accident prepared in an organized fashion, you can help an attorney see what the case is about and make an informed decision about how best to help you.

Let Us Help You

At CHASENBOSCOLO, we are committed to building the most compelling case possible on your behalf. Our policy is to fully prepare each case as if it were to go to trial. Our personal injury attorneys have successfully handled thousands of personal injury claims.

We have served Maryland, Virginia, and the surrounding areas for over 35 years. We are proud of our proven track record of getting substantial settlements and awards for our clients. We also understand the emotional and financial stress that accompanies being injured in an accident. We will use our skills and experience to seek fair compensation so you can put your life back together again. Call us at (301) 220-0050 or write to us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our attorneys today.