Austin, the tenth largest city in the US with a population of 966,292, is a popular destination for music freaks. The city is also known as the capital of live music.It has many live music venues. A city that is highly populated and draws a lot of crowds every year is bound to have some mishaps. Accidents are very common in the city.
When a person breaches the duty of care they owe to someone, accidents happen. Due to the negligence of a random person, people suffer. Victims of negligence should seek the help of an Austin personal injury law firm.
A skilled personal injury lawyer can help victims obtain compensation and accelerate their recovery process.
The Initial Consultation
Personal injury lawyers offer one free consultation. People can make great use of that free consultation. But to take advantage of the free consultation, you need to be well-prepared. You need to know what to ask and what to share.
Let’s focus on what to share in this blog post.
The following are some of the details you should share with your lawyer:
- Details of the accident
- Contact information of the at-fault party and witnesses
- Evidence you have collected
- Pre-existing injury
- Your share of responsibility for the accident
Details of the accident
You should share details like where, how, and when the accident happened. These details can help your lawyer get clarity about your case.
Also, tell them who is responsible for the accident. If it is a car accident, sharing details like the other car’s license number and whether the driver was drunk can help.
Contact information of the at-fault party and witnesses
If you are feeling fine after the accident, it is best to collect the contact information of the at-fault party and witnesses.
Not collecting the contact information will lead to a lack of witnesses. You don’t need to get witness statements. When you share the contact information with the lawyer, they will get the statements.
Also, they will convince witnesses to come forward and testify.
Evidence you have collected
All the pieces of evidence you have collected so far should be shared with the lawyer.
Photos and videos of the accident scene and your injuries are great pieces of evidence. Medical bills are also great evidence that can prove that you have sustained injuries and have incurred expenses to treat those injuries.
Pre-existing conditions
If you have had any pre-existing conditions, tell your lawyer.
Insurance companies will investigate your medical history, and they will get to know about your pre-existing injuries. They will argue that the injuries you have are not related to the accident. Your lawyer can counter that argument if they know about this.
Also, if your pre-existing condition has worsened due to the accident, your lawyer can claim compensation for that too.
How much you contributed to the accident can have a significant impact on your case.
If your state follows contributory negligence, you may not be able to claim compensation even if you are 1% responsible for the accident.
Some states follow the comparative negligence rule. According to this rule, you can claim compensation even if you are mostly at fault for the accident. But your percentage of liability will be deducted from the compensation.
In states that follow modified comparative negligence, you won’t be able to claim compensation if you are more than 50% responsible for the accident. So sharing this detail is important.
Final Thoughts
Being honest with your lawyer is vital. Lawyers can prepare well only if they know all the details of your case. Sharing the details mentioned in this blog post can make the initial consultation meaningful. Once the lawyer has all the details, they will start formulating a strategy to obtain fair compensation for you.