Immediate Legal Advice for Injured Victims

If you have suffered any type of injury and wish to file a claim against a responsible party, the following steps will help you to immediately pursue your case.

  1. After getting medical attention immediately following your accident, you should contact a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your accident. This is because a lawyer can best help give you advice on how to pursue the case for maximum compensation collection.
  2. Do not speak with anyone about the accident other than your personal injury lawyer. You should also never admit fault or give opinions about the accident to anyone.
  3. Take photographs of the scene of the accident, such as a defective part of machinery, a hazardous area in a property, any damage to your vehicle. These are extremely helpful in case investigations. If you cannot do this yourself, ask someone else to take the photos for you.
  4. Take videos, if possible, of the accident scene and any damages to your personal property.
  5. Save all medical aids such as medicine bottles, casts, braces and anything else used by your doctor to treat your injuries
  6. Save all billing statements, official receipts and documents of medical expenses and repairs which were a result of the accident.
  7. Tell your attorney everything you believe will give relevance and credibility to your case, such as medical records and hospitalization.
  8. Be careful not to make any false statements about your injuries. If you are not sure about your previous medical records, tell your doctor.
  9. Get hold of the following information on an ongoing basis:
    1. Expenses incurred due to your injuries (medical care, home care, transportation, etc.)
    2. Pain and suffering
    3. Lost wages due to time off work
    4. Any physical limitations
  10. Keep current information that can affect a positive outcome of your case, such as checks, receipts of payment, medical records, loss of income records. These will be helpful to your attorney and insurance companies.

How El Dabe Law Firm Represents You

  1. We will hold an initial interview to help us gather the information we need about your case. You will be asked to sign certain authorization forms so we can use all medical records and references in dealing with your case.
  2. We will contact the person responsible for your injury or the insurance company to notify them that you have legal representation with us. We will also contact your doctors to obtain any relevant medical information which will give substance to the case.
  3. We will help you determine the filing of a lawsuit. A lawsuit will only be undertaken upon consultation with your attorney and with your approval. If a lawsuit is not necessary, your attorney can suggest a settlement as an alternative.
  4. Should the case proceed as a lawsuit, going to trial is the next step. At this point, your personal injury attorney will lead you through three stages:
    1. Filing of complaint – this is a lawsuit filed in court against the responsible party. You are known from this point on as the plaintiff while the opposing party is the defendant. During the filing of a complaint, a petition is issued detailing the facts and alleging why the plaintiff is entitled to certain damages.
    2. Summons – This is when the deputy sheriff informs the defendant that a lawsuit has been filed, which the defendant must respond to within a certain time frame.
    3. Answer or Motion – The attorney of the defendant prepares a motion or a response to the summons and lawsuit. After this, both parties may engage in the next step of proceedings involving interrogations, depositions, sometimes medical examinations.

For more information on how to proceed in your personal injury filing and how you can receive maximum compensation, call an El Dabe Law Firm personal injury attorney TODAY for a free consultation.