When you get on the road, you don’t anticipate getting into an accident with a truck. Unfortunately, safety precautions may not be able to prevent an accident from happening. If you’ve recently been in an accident, you might be considering meeting with an attorney to help you recover.
In order to streamline your consultation with your attorney, you’re going to need to come prepared. Read on to learn about the truck accident documents you need to bring to your appointment!
Police Report
The first document you should obtain for your appointment with your truck accident lawyer is the police report.
Many states have laws that require citizens to call the police if an accident occurs that involves physical injuries or property damage. This means that, unless you were in a very minor accident, you should call the police out to the scene of the accident.
The police document the scene and speak with all parties involved. They also take down the statements and contact information for witnesses. If the police feel they know who was at fault, they will document it in their report and issue a citation to the party at fault.
Insurance companies rely on police reports to make their determination of fault, but they do not always agree with the findings of the police. Regardless of the findings by the police or your insurance company, a police report is a critical piece of evidence for your case.
Your Photos
You know that police take photos of the scene when they compile their police report, but that doesn’t mean that you should assume they have it covered.
It’s important for you to collect detailed photographs of the scene, the damage that was done to your vehicle, and any injuries that you or your passengers may have. Bring these photos with you when you meet with your attorney so they can assess the scene and how the accident happened.
High-quality printouts of the photos are great to bring, but you should also consider bringing a thumb drive with high-resolution files so they can zoom in when necessary.
Your Narrative of Events
Accidents happen in the blink of an eye and they can be very traumatic. Even though we’d all like to think of our minds as steel traps, the trauma that occurs when you’re in an accident can actually impact your ability to store and recall memories. For this reason, it’s important to write down your narrative of events as soon as possible.
You will want to bring this narrative of events with you when you visit your attorney. It’ll help your attorney get a holistic look at what happened along with your photographs and the police report.
Eye Witness Statements
Many accidents have witnesses who can attest to what actually happened when the accident occurred. If you have witnesses to your accident, it’s important for you to collect their contact information and to collect their statements regarding the accident before you ever head to your attorney’s office.
Since accidents are less traumatic for the people who weren’t involved, it’ll be easier for them to recall what happened. Their statements can help your attorney prepare your claim for damages and support your version of events. If witness statements support you being at fault, then your attorney can utilize them to help prepare your defense.
Your Insurance Policy
One of your attorney’s biggest jobs is to help you deal with insurance following an accident. Always be prepared with a cheap insurance for semi-trailer trucks. For this reason, you should bring a copy of your insurance policy and a copy of the other party’s insurance information.
Not only will this information help your attorney get in touch with both companies, but it will help your lawyer know how much each party is entitled to for the accident, depending on fault. Insurance companies frequently pay out less than you would expect, and attorneys must be equipped with the proper information in order to counteroffer.
Medical Documentation
If you were injured in your accident, it’s important for you to bring copies of all of your medical records to your attorney. This includes information about your diagnoses, your treatment, and how much your treatment cost you. If your care is ongoing, you will want to continue to provide your attorney with copies of this information.
If you have health insurance, it’s important to bring a copy of your insurance information. If your insurance company finds out that you’re seeking compensation for your injuries, they will likely expect to see a portion of that compensation.
Receipts for Costs
You will also want to bring along receipts for any costs that you incurred as a result of the accident. This can include things like rental car charges, out of pocket payments for damages to your vehicle, or car service charges if you had to take a taxi to work or appointments because your car was out of commission.
All of this information is tallied up to help determine how much your lawyer will ask for.
Paystubs
Unable to work as a result of your accident? Then you will want to bring along copies of your paystubs to help your attorney show how much income you lost.
Did your accident leave you permanently disabled? Then your attorney will use this information to help you obtain compensation for future earnings.
Are You Ready with Your Truck Accident Documents?
No one expects to get into an accident when they leave the house, but if you do, then you need to fight for the compensation you deserve. Seeking out an attorney and bringing along truck accident documents can help you move quickly through the process. With the help of your attorney, you’ll be back on your feet physically and financially before you know it!
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