If you suffered an injury caused by a negligent party, you must seek experienced legal representation from a knowledgeable and reputable personal injury lawyer. One of the things your attorney will do is ask you some personal questions about your life.
While you might be wary to discuss certain aspects of your life, it could be the difference between winning and losing your case. Even if some information feels embarrassing or too personal to talk about, a strong client-lawyer relationship is crucial to the outcome of your case.
The following are several things you need to tell your personal injury attorney:
- When and how the injury happened. Your lawyer needs to understand every detail of the accident and injury in question. Whether you suffered the injury at work or while driving, your attorney can then determine how to approach your case.
- Prior injuries. In most cases, the opposing lawyer will conduct a medical background check on you. So from the beginning, you must be completely upfront with your attorney about prior or current injuries or illnesses, including mental illnesses.
- Lost earnings and medical expenses. To develop a strong case, your lawyer needs to know all of the financial details related to your injury. Keep track of the dates you’ve missed work and the overall amount of medical bill you’ve incurred.
- Your criminal history. Tell your attorney of any misdemeanors or felonies you’ve been charged with and/or convicted of in the past. If you’ve been charged with anything that may reflect a lack of trust on your behalf – such as fraud or burglary – the opposing counsel will possibly bring this up to discredit you as a witness.
- Bankruptcy. Your lawyer must know your any bankruptcy filings, especially if they occur during your injury case. Creditors may attempt to take any compensation you received from your personal injury suit.
- Divorce. A spouse or ex-spouse may be entitled to a portion of any settlement you obtain. This is especially true if the spouse has helped to support you in any way since you had suffered the injury.
- If anyone involved in the case made contact with you. Whether it is the other party or their insurance provider, any form of contact (e.g. calls, text, and emails) should be saved and given to your lawyer.
If you suffered an injury caused by a negligent party and need experienced legal assistance in SC, contact our Charleston personal injury attorney at Pierce | Sloan and request a free consultation today.