A good attorney-client relationship is very important in winning a fair settlement for your personal injury case. You should be able to trust your personal injury lawyer to guide you on this often confusing and nuanced road to recovery after an accident. With this type of attorney-client privilege there are even more things you can expect from your lawyer that are unique to personal injury.
What is attorney-client privilege?
Attorney-client privilege means that any communication between you and your lawyer will be kept private. This fosters an environment of open and honest communication between you and your attorney, without fear of your conversations being accessed by the public or the insurance company’s council. Protected communication extends to in-person meetings, phone calls, texts, voicemails, emails and memos.
Trust is paramount
You have to be able to trust your personal injury attorney and they have to be able to trust you in return. It is crucial that you are open and honest with your attorney when discussing your injuries and your overall case. Since you have attorney-client privilege, your lawyer is bound by law to keep all discussions confidential.
Your lawyer may help you find proper medical care after an accident
Depending on the severity of the injury, you may have gone to the ER or trauma center immediately, or your injury may have been delayed and you need care after the fact. Your personal injury attorney has relationships with specialty doctors from orthopedic surgeons to chiropractors that they can refer you to for the best care. And because your lawyer wants to get you the most compensation for your injuries, they will work with your doctors to make sure they are recording current damages and medical expenses as well as future expenses that could come as a result of your injury.
Your lawyer helps track medical expenses
When you retain a personal injury attorney, they will help keep track of your medical bills so that they can be included in your demand for compensation. It is important that all of your medical bills be submitted to the at-fault driver’s insurance company. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney like Matt Dion & Associates may be able to assist you in finding a doctor that is willing to wait for payment until your claim settles. An experienced personal injury attorney may also help keep medical bills from going to collections.
With most personal injury claims the settlement process cannot begin until the injured victim is released from all medical treatment and the medical bills and records have been gathered. The medical bills help to document and support your claim for injuries. Your medical bills and records will be sent to the at fault party’s insurance company for review and consideration. Your medical bills and records are essential for the evaluation and settlement of your claim.
Your attorney will guide you on all evidence needed to win your case
When you are healing from an injury, gathering paperwork and evidence can be overwhelming. Your personal injury attorney will help guide this whole process. They will communicate with the at-fault party’s insurance company, file a claim on your behalf, and negotiate the best possible settlement for your circumstances. Your attorney will gather police reports and evidence from the scene such as witness statements and photos. They will work with your doctors to get accurate notes, diagnosis, and long-term prognosis. And they will record special and general damages to make sure all impact to your life is accounted for in your case.
Special damages refer to your financial losses and include medical bills, lost income, and property damage. These damages are fairly easy to quantify but you might have future considerations. If you can reasonably anticipate medical expenses for treatment in the future, you are entitled to additional compensation.
General damages pay for intangible losses such as pain and suffering which come as physical discomfort and emotional anguish. Loss of quality of life, which covers general limitations of what you can do and experience; and loss of enjoyment of life, which specifically addresses a talent or pastime you can no longer pursue.
An experienced personal injury attorney like Matt Dion can help you understand the specific damages that may be available in your personal injury case.
