The Car Accident Attorney-Client Relationship

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When victims are injured by careless drivers, they are often entitled to be paid compensation. That compensation may exceed anything offered by the insurers, but victims may need to take legal action to get those funds. Legal action means legal help and that is where your personal injury lawyer comes into the picture. The attorney-client relationship is important, so read on to find out how to form a partnership with your lawyer that will lead to success with your case.

The Attorney Takes Your Case

You can have a great deal of influence over whether or not a personal injury lawyer will take your case. A bit of an explanation over how some attorneys are paid may help. Most personal injury lawyers work on cases without the victim having to pay anything upfront. If, and only if, you win your case, the lawyer is paid using a certain percentage of your settlement or judgment. That means the lawyer's pay is based on the value and the chances of success with your case. How can you make sure the attorney takes your case? Provide the lawyer with what they need to make an informed decision. That means coming to the first meeting with the following information ready:

• Accident report
• Summary of medical treatments, billing statements, explanation of benefits, receipts, etc.
• Estimate of vehicle repairs
• Pay stubs or most recent income tax return

Follow the Rules

Taking action is important but there are also a few things you should avoid doing. To form a good partnership with your lawyer, take a look at the following list of things to do and what not to do.

1. Don't take too much time before you see an attorney. Time is of the essence with accident cases and valuable case evidence could be weakened or lost if you wait too long to make that appointment.
2. Seek medical treatment. If you don't need medical treatment, then you don't have a personal injury case. Injuries must be backed up with records of treatment.
3. Don't speak to the insurance adjuster for the other side. Let your lawyer handle that aspect of the case for you.
4. Keep a pain journal. This way of documenting your day-to-day struggles after an accident will prove to be very valuable for your case. It serves as a memory device, details your case for pain and suffering, and can prove to be personally therapeutic.

Speak to an attorney, like those at Nelson Fromer & Crocco Law Offices, to get more information.

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18 March 2020