The hours and days following an accident can be overwhelming. Perhaps you were involved in an automobile accident, trucking accident, bicycle accident, or a fall. Or maybe your injuries are the result of a misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis, or surgical error. Or perhaps you have a loved one who was treated poorly, injured, or even abused while in a nursing home. All of these events can be overwhelming as you and your loved ones try to handle the resulting legal issues, decide what to do next, and determine how to pay the mounting bills – all while trying to heal from your injuries or losses.
People who have been injured or have lost a loved one may wonder what an attorney really does, how an attorney can help, and if they should just try to handle the matter on their own. These are some of the types of questions we are often asked by potential clients during their initial, free consultation. Every case is different, and every law firm is different, so the answers to these questions may vary based on the type of case, the client’s needs, and the services provided by the firm; however, the list below describes just a few of the services our firm can provide to our clients as a standard part of our representation.
- Making the Insurance Calls Stop – There are often numerous insurance calls following an automobile accident, trucking accident, bicycle accident, or pedestrian accident. The insurance companies want to know what happened, who was at fault, and if there were injuries. The insurance adjusters often want to come take photos of vehicles and obtain recorded statements. While there are times that provision of a statement may be required to comply with the provisions of an insurance policy, we usually advise our clients not to give a recorded statement to anyone. In the event a recorded statement is deemed necessary, we are then able to be present with our client during the statement and protect our client’s rights. Additionally, once our representation begins, we send letters to the insurance companies advising them of our involvement. From then on, all communications from the insurance companies come through our firm. This usually relieves quite a bit of stress from our clients and frees them up to focus on other matters such as medical treatment and healing.
- Preserving Evidence – After an accident, there may be damage to property and/or to vehicles. There may be weather or roadside conditions that affected or caused the accident. There may also be visible physical injuries. Damages can be repaired, weather clears up, roadside conditions change, and injuries heal. When this happens, crucial evidence can disappear. This evidence is often used to assess and/or prove liability (fault), damages, severity of injuries, and more. For this reason, we usually recommend that clients find some way to preserve this evidence as soon as possible after the accident. This is one of the many tasks our firm handles for our clients. As necessary and applicable, we take photos and videos of the scene of the incident and any vehicles or other property involved, hire experts such as medical or accident reconstruction experts, and take photos and videos to document the severity of injuries and the impact on our client’s daily life.
- Collecting Medical Records and Bills – In order to make a claim for damages, insurance companies will want copies of your medical records and medical bills. When you are released from a hospital, the hospital usually gives you a couple pages of records, but this is only a small portion of the records that are actually generated by the hospital, and the insurance company will want them all! We can handle ordering and obtaining all necessary medical records and bills so you don’t have to.
The decision to hire an attorney is not an easy one, and finding an attorney and firm that understands your needs and the specifics of your case can be even harder. We believe that honesty and open, responsive communication is essential to providing our clients with the level of representation they need and desire. We want our clients to feel comfortable with their decision to hire us and to be able to focus on healing while we handle the logistics of their legal case.
Our initial consultation is free. During this consultation, we’ll work with you to help you assess your options and determine your best course of action. Should you decide that you do need the services of a lawyer, and should you choose to work with our firm, you will have an accessible, knowledgeable team of lawyers and staff working with you. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you do not owe us anything unless we make a recovery for you!
For more information or to schedule your initial, free consultation, contact Paynter Law today!