What Should I Bring to My First Meeting with an Alabama Car Accident Lawyer?

In your initial consultation with a personal injury attorney at Gartlan Injury Law after a car accident, we can begin the legal process of pursuing compensation for you. If you have it, you should bring the police report, car insurance policy, records of your injury, and any questions you may have about your personal injury claim.

At Gartlan Injury Law, every case begins with a free consultation in which we try to understand your objectives for a claim and explain the legal options available to you. In this meeting, an attorney will also conduct a preliminary assessment of your case and prepare for our investigation of your accident.

Car accident claims are typically based on evidence that one driver was at fault and documentation of the victim’s injuries and losses. So, having certain basic documents in hand during your initial consultation will be helpful. Gartlan Injury Law can help you obtain them if you don’t have them. We are devoted to helping injured individuals and families in Dothan and throughout Alabama who have suffered physical, emotional, and financial harm after a car accident.

What Documents Should I Bring to My Initial Consultation?

To seek maximum compensation for you after a car accident, your attorney must prove the at-fault driver’s liability (legal responsibility) for your injuries to their auto insurance company or a judge and jury. To do so, the personal injury lawyer must thoroughly document what happened to you.

At Gartlan Injury Law, when you work with your personal injury lawyer, you should expect to provide some basic identifying information, including the following:

• Driver’s license or similar identification
• Home address
• Email address
• Phone number
• Auto liability insurance policy.

Next, we need information about your car accident, your injuries, and the impact on daily life for you, such as the following:

• Police report from the accident — Police reports provide a baseline account of the car accident and identify the parties involved. Sometimes, the police report will indicate which party was at fault. You should always report a car accident to the police and then get a copy of their report.
• Medical records — The experienced personal injury attorney you work with at Gartlan Injury Law will need to evaluate your case and demonstrate the extent of your injuries, which will impact the “pain and suffering” damages you may recover. You must make a written request for all records of medical treatment you have received related to your motor vehicle accident.
• Bills and receipts — Most of the compensation recovered in a car accident claim is for medical bills and other out-of-pocket case-related expenses. To build a strong legal case, you should save bills, receipts, repair estimates, insurance statements, and other insurance information connected to your accident and bring what you have to your initial consultation. When we prepare compensation demands to insurers, your car accident attorney will consider the total amount of your medical expenses and other costs, including the cost to repair or replace your vehicle.
• Employment and pay records — Part of the compensation you are due after a car accident is for lost wages while your injuries kept you from working. At your initial consultation, bring pay stubs or tax forms to show your pay rate and income. We can obtain statements from your doctor(s) and employer(s) to document your injuries and lost work time.
• Witness contact information — Were there others in your car or did bystanders witness your car accident? If you have contact information for witnesses to your accident, we can add their witness statements to our investigation and/or your claim.
• Videos or photos of the accident scene — If you or others could document the accident scene immediately after the crash, this information may support your injury claim.
• Correspondence with insurers or others— Besides your auto insurance policy, we need to know about your discussions (written or verbal) with insurers, the other driver, or anyone else connected to the accident. Please bring anything you have in writing to your initial consultation.

Should I Write Down Questions I Want to Ask My Car Accident Lawyer?

Not every car accident attorney is the right advocate for every case or every client. You should get some important questions answered in an initial consultation with Gartlan Injury Law or another Alabama personal injury law firm.

Here are 10 questions you might like to ask an Alabama car accident lawyer:

• How strong is my case?
• How much is my car accident claim worth?
• What do you charge for your services?
• What is your experience in personal injury law?
• Who else will work on my case?
• What results have you obtained in cases like mine?
• Do you have the time and resources to handle my case right now?
• If there is a lawsuit, what will be required of me?
• Will I have to go to court to settle a car accident claim?
• How will you keep me updated on the progress of my case?

How Soon After the Car Accident Should I Contact an Attorney?

The sooner you engage the services of an experienced car accident attorney, the sooner you can focus on recovering from your injuries while your attorney deals with insurance companies. Once you engage a car accident attorney, they assume a legal and ethical obligation to act in your best interests.

Instead of going round and round with the other driver’s insurance company, let Gartlan Injury Law speak for you. We will protect your rights after a car accident and press insurers aggressively to recover maximum compensation for you.

How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Claim in Alabama?

For most personal injury cases in Alabama, including car accident claims, you have two years from your injury date to file a personal injury lawsuit. The deadline may give you plenty of time, but much work goes into a car accident claim before filing a lawsuit. Insurance companies may also use delay tactics to complicate and prolong a claim.

If you are injured in a crash caused by someone else, you should not wait to set up an initial consultation with a . At Gartlan Injury Law, the sooner we can begin working for you, the sooner we can seek compensation for you.

Contact an Alabama Car Accident Lawyer

From your initial meeting through settlement negotiations and beyond, our legal team is committed to providing personalized service and pursuing the compensation you deserve if you have been injured by another person’s negligence. Call Gartlan Injury Law today or reach out online to set up your free consultation and learn more about how we can help with your car accident case. We represent clients on a contingency fee basis. Under this fee structure, you pay no attorney fees for the legal action we take on your behalf unless we recover compensation for you.

Visit Our Alabama Car Accident Law Offices