What 7 documents should I bring to my initial consultation?

Unless we have represented you in the past, your initial consultation after your accident is likely the first time we will meet.  At your initial consultation, it is our time to get to know each other professionally. Besides the creation of a professional relationship, we will need information about the accident/incident and about you in order to start working on your case.  Providing us with the appropriate documentation and information early will help facilitate your case.  However, the most important aspect of the initial consultation is our communication with each other; thus, if you do not have certain information, that can always be worked out later.  Here are 7 helpful items to bring with you during our first consultation.

  1. Accident Information Exchange Report or Police Report: In Nassau and Suffolk County, immediately following an accident, the responding police officers provide you with what is called an “Accident Information Exchange Report.” This document contains the names of the parties, automobile insurance carrier, and vehicle information. The police report is not prepared by the officer at the scene.  Usually, the police report is ready to be requested within two days.  While this isn’t always the case, the Accident Information Exchange Report contains enough information for us to obtain the police report and to begin work on your case.  It is unnecessary for your to request the police report before scheduling an appointment with us.  Contrarily, we encourage you to make an appointment with us as soon as practicably possible after the accident. While the police report will need to be obtained, our office takes care of requesting it.
  2. Your Insurance Card: Your insurance card assists us in effectively communicating with your insurance company.  Presumably, you’ve reported the accident to your insurance company prior to coming to our office. Whether or not you furnished the insurance company with the appropriate documents, we will figure out at our initial conference. We will be able to advise you based on our evaluation of your situation.  Even if the accident is entirely another party’s fault, we still need to contact and work with your insurance company.  Providing us with a copy of your insurance card is helpful.
  3. Your Insurance Declarations Page: This document will assist us in providing you with immediate advice.  The information on the declarations page will let us know if you have other insurance in the event there is not enough insurance on the liable parties.  It will also uncover which benefits are available to you while you are recovering from your injuries.
  4. Evidence: Photographs & Witnesses: If you have any photos of the scene of the accident, the involved vehicles, bodily injuries, and other damage, bring those too! You can show them to us right from your cell phone.  Once you email all of your photos to us, we have them printed and stored to be used as evidence.  Photos are helpful through all stages of your case, assisting us in evaluating your claim, pursuing your claim, and in litigation before a jury.
  5. Medical Records and/or a list of physicians and hospitals: We will need your medical records. During our initial consultation, we have you execute a release form allowing us to obtain your medical records.  Providing us with a list of all of your physicians and hospitals will allow us to obtain all your existing medical records so that we can create a medical profile for you.  If we are missing any physicians or facilitates, our profile will be incomplete.  If you do not have this information available at the time of our initial consultation, we can always find out where you were treated later.
  6. Paperwork you provided to the insurance companies: If you submitted anything to either insurance company, such as an invoice for vehicle repairs or your No-Fault Application, we need a copy of these documents.  Anything the insurance company knows, we also need to know about you in order to effectively represent you.  We strive to be one step ahead of the insurance companies and defendants.  As a result, we need to know everything that may be used against you.
  7. Your Drivers License: It is always a good idea for your attorney to have a copy of your Driver’s License on file.  This is especially true if you were issued tickets at the scene of the accident.  Your driver’s license will also help us verify information in police reports and with the insurance companies.

If you are seeking legal representation after a motor vehicle accident, please contact our office to schedule your initial consultation.  Our personal injury consultations do not cost you anything and we will advise you of your rights and options unique to your individual case. Law Offices of Jennifer G. Tocci, P.C., (631) 343-7676

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