After a truck accident, one of the most important members of your support team is often a good Florida personal injury attorney. A good lawyer can negotiate with insurance providers on your behalf to ensure that you receive fair compensation. An attorney can launch an investigation into your accident and can protect your legal rights. In some cases, attorneys even can help patients find resources and medical help. To make the most of your attorney’s help, you need to maintain good communication with your attorney. There are many ways that you can do this:
1) Be upfront with your attorney. Fully share all information your attorney asks for, even if the information is embarrassing or difficult to share. Keeping previous convictions or driving problems from your attorney is not only futile, but makes a good relationship with your attorney very difficult.
2) Contact your attorney as quickly as possible after your accident. Most states have a statute of limitations regarding how long a victim has to bring a suit. As well, the longer you wait to contact your attorney, the more evidence about your accident will likely be lost. The sooner you contact an attorney, the more fully your Florida personal injury attorney can help you. Keep in mind that many attorneys are willing to visit you in your hospital room, at home, or at your office, so you do not have to be well enough to travel to see an attorney.
3) Avoid signing anything. Signing any agreement with an insurance provider can make it harder for an attorney to assist you. However, some insurance providers are very insistent on having you sign agreements, often while you are still in the hospital. Always insist on having an attorney review any document you sign.
4) Start documentation early. Start keeping track of your injuries and the accident as soon as you can. Having a list of symptoms and how they affect your life on a day to day basis can help your personal injury attorney evaluate the likely costs of your injury. Knowing the names of officers and emergency personnel at the accident scene can help your attorney investigate the accident. Do not worry if you are too injured to start documentation at once. Get copies of what medical records you can and share them with your attorney and start your documentation as soon as you are physically able.
5) Consider what you say about your accident and injuries. Keep in mind that speaking about your injury or posting injury-related photos on social networking sites can affect your case. Talk to your Florida personal injury attorney about how to discuss your injury with others. Your attorney may even recommend that you avoid social networking sites until your case is settled. Be sure to follow your attorney’s directions carefully.