Helpful Information For Our Clients:
Who to Talk to:
Do not talk about your case with anyone except the people at our office or your family.
What to Sign:
Do not sign anything until you check with us.
People Who Call You:
If anyone asks you about your case, tell them your injury lawyer does not want you to talk about the case. Give them our name and phone number if they want more information.
Papers and Bills:
Keep all papers, bills, insurance policies, or anything pertaining to your case in an envelope. Make sure you get this material to us within a week of your release from the doctor.
Doctor:
If you keep a diary, write something in it every day. Some things to put in are:
- Pain – how bad, how often, when and where does it hurt.
- Medicine – what and how often, and how does the medicine make you feel?
- Doctor’s visits – who, how much time from home to doctors office and back home again, what did the doctor say and do.
- Other medical – therapy, casts, crutches, braces, etc., what is it and how does it feel.
- Effects of injury – what can’t you do because of the injury, such as sports, sex, foods, etc., and also time missed from work.
REMEMBER: Spelling and neatness do not count. All that matters is that you can read it later. But, you must write something every day.
Medical Items:
Save all pill bottles, casts, braces and any other items from your doctors.
Calling Us:
Our injury lawyers know you are very interested in what is going on with your case and it is very important to us that you have the peace of mind that you need. If you are concerned and need to know what is going on in the case, please call the office and ask your case manager for information about your case. They can usually tell you the last thing done in your case and what comes next, and when. If you need to speak to your lawyer, just ask. We never forget whose case it is and that you are the client and a very important person to us. You can count on us promptly notifying you either by phone or by mail of any important matters that develop on your case.
Financial Problems:
Our injury lawyers understand that as a result of an accident that there are extra expenses and reduced income. If you have pressing financial matters, we can sometimes write a letter to a creditor explaining your accident and they will cooperate and give you more time to take care of matters. It is against the law for us to lend you any money. We stand to lose our licenses to practice law by lending money to a client.
Why Does it Take so Long:
This problem may have been discussed in the office during your initial interview. One of the reasons things take so long is, it is not time to make a claim until after the doctors have given us a report stating exactly what your medical condition is and what they expect it to be. In other words, until your condition has stabilized. Many times, the doctors will be very slow in making these reports. We may even on occasion ask you to contact your doctor to speed up the report. Please don’t do so unless we ask you to. If we try to settle your claim before your medical condition is stabilized, you may lose significant benefits or money that you might be entitled to for a condition that did not show up until after the matter was final.
Going to Court:
Our injury lawyers don’t want to go to court and our clients don’t want to go to court, they just want to be treated fairly. We want to settle your case by negotiations with the insurance company or the other party involved. Usually we can come to an agreeable solution that you will feel is satisfactory under the circumstances. However, on occasion, this is not possible and we must go to court. Even if that happens, negotiations continue. Be aware that only a very small percentage of lawsuits actually go to trial but we prepare each case as if it will go to court. During the course of the lawsuit, before the case is settled, it may be necessary for you to come into our office to answer detailed questions about your medical history, past accidents or injuries and other specific matters related to your case. If this needs to be done, rest assured, we will be with you every step of the way to advise and consult with you.
But I Heard:
When we are working on a case, and especially when we are talking about settlement, many times, clients tell us that they heard about a friend, neighbor, or relative that had an accident or got injured and got some type of recovery and the client is upset or wondering why their recovery is not as large or as great as the one they heard about. Please be aware that every case is different, every injury is different, and every client is different. There are never two cases exactly alike. Please understand that we are as interested as you are in getting a fair settlement.
Auto Repair:
If your vehicle was damaged, our injury lawyers need pictures before the repairs. Use color film and take a whole roll of pictures before the repairs. Take some pictures up close, from a distance, from all sides, and at least one picture of the license plate. Try to get pictures of any broken glass. Make sure you let us know where your damaged car is so we can take pictures. Photographs: Give us any pictures, negatives, and videos that you or anyone else has of you and the accident, and how the injury has affected your life.
Your Job:
Tell our injury lawyers of any changes in your job, job duties, salary or anything. If you miss work because of the injury, write it in the diary. Even if only for a doctor’s visit. Do this even if you are self-employed.
Address and Phone:
If you move or get a new phone number tell us immediately. Call our office and leave a message. New Information: If you find out or hear of something new about your case, call our office and leave a message. This includes any serious medical treatment or hospitalization. Medical Insurance: We encourage you to file on any group insurance plan you have including Medicare.
Official Reports:
Do not file any reports anywhere until you talk to us. Disability and Unemployment: Do not apply for this or any other aid until you talk to us.
Do What the Doctors Say:
Be sure to do what your doctors say. There is never a reason or excuse to miss a doctor’s appointment. By missing a doctor’s appointment, you are saying to the doctor, to the insurance company, or the other side that you don’t hurt, that it doesn’t matter that much. Our job is to make a recovery for you for the pain and suffering we can prove. Not going to the doctor is a good way to prove that you are not hurting and that you don’t care.
