Question: When I meet my personal injury attorney for the first time, are there any specific documents I should bring with me?
Answer: You should provide your attorney with as much information as possible. If your lawyer has more information, they can better advise you on your legal rights. You must bring all the documentation related to your case. The accident report is a very important document that you should bring to your lawyer. Article by Attorney David Slepkow (401) 437-1100.
If you have eyewitness testimony or medical records or reports from your doctors, you should provide them to your attorney. If you have photos of the accident or your injury, please bring them with you to the attorney appointment. If you do not have the documents, your lawyer can collect the documents for you.
Question: What type of information will the attorney request at the initial consultation regarding my personal injury or automobile accident in Rhode Island?
Answer: Your attorney will request general information about your medical treatment. The lawyer will try to create a list with the names and addresses of all treating doctors and service providers. This includes physical therapists, chiropractors, visiting nurses, and other medical providers. The attorney may also ask you for a list of previous medical providers.
Question: What usually happens at the first meeting:
Answer: Your chosen personal injury attorney will tell you if you have a valid legal claim. If you decide to hire this lawyer, the lawyer will ask you to sign a guardianship agreement. The guardianship contract is an important legal document that a lawyer must obtain. At the initial consultation, it is extremely difficult for your lawyer to tell you the value of your case. The value of your case depends on many factors, including the amount of your medical bills and the nature and extent of your pain and suffering. The value may depend on whether your injury is permanent or not, whether or not there have been periods of partial or total disability, whether or not there have been disfigurements, scars or other physical injuries, and the amount of your lost wages, etc.
After you have completed treatment or reached a certain point in your medical treatment, the attorney will submit a settlement application to the insurance adjuster with all relevant medical records and paperwork. If the insurance company believes the claim is valid and the adjuster and attorney can agree on a number, the case will be settled out of court. Despite the fact that the attorney will try to settle the case, the attorney prepares the case in case the case is not settled.
Question: What is necessary to have a valid personal injury case?
Answer: If you were injured by the negligence or intentional act of another person or entity, then you have potential cause for a personal injury claim. Personal injury does not always have to be involved in a personal injury claim. A personal injury claim may be pursued on the basis of damaging your reputation or intentionally inflicting emotional distress.
Question: What exactly is a Settlement in a Personal Injury Claim?
Answer: If you are resolving a Rhode Island personal injury auto accident or slip and fall case, you agree to accept an amount of money in exchange for either not pursuing a personal injury claim against the person or company, or for dismissing a personal injury case against a person or corporation. If the case is resolved, you will be required to sign a release letter, releasing all parties from any potential future liability. To determine whether or not you should accept a personal injury settlement, your attorney must evaluate the amount of damage you have suffered, the likelihood that you will prevail in court, and any other factors the attorney believes are appropriate.
A settlement may be reached at any time prior to the filing of the complaint or after the complaint is filed and at any time prior to the jury’s verdict. The case can even be settled after the trial if the case is on appeal.
At Slepkow, Slepkow & Associates, Inc., it is our philosophy that whether or not to accept a personal injury settlement is the client’s choice. We will surely help you make that decision by providing all the essential information and answering any relevant questions you may have. We often make our recommendation as to whether a settlement is fair or not. We always leave the final decision to our clients as to whether or not to accept a Personal Injury or Auto Accident settlement.
Question: What if I am unhappy with the attorney handling my case? Do I have the right to a new attorney in Rhode Island? If I get a new attorney, who will pay for the legal services provided by the old attorney?
Answer: If you are dissatisfied with the legal representation of your attorney in Rhode Island (RI), you have the right to hire a new attorney at any time. Your old attorney may have a statutory lien against your personal injury case. If you prevail or the case is settled, your old attorney is entitled to be paid for the legal services he provided. However, you don’t have to pay the old attorney if you get a new attorney. When your case is resolved or you receive monies as a result of a judgment, the old and new attorneys will share the legal fees incurred fairly. In other words, it won’t cost you any extra money when hiring a new lawyer. The old and new attorneys must agree on the fair share that the old attorney should receive.
Question: Is it a good idea to wait a certain amount of time before hiring a lawyer?
Answer: You should contact a Rhode Island personal injury attorney immediately after the accident. It is not a good idea for a person to deal with the insurance adjuster about their personal injury or auto accident claim.
Question: Am I obliged to provide the insurance company with a recorded statement if they so request?
Answer: There is no legal obligation for you to make a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster. However, if the insurance company is your own insurance company, you may be contractually required to provide a logged statement. You should not make any statement unless you have legal counsel and you should request a copy of the transcript.
Question: What types of cases are typically processed on a contingency fee basis?
Answer: Auto/auto accidents, slips and falls, trips and falls, building liability, bicycle accidents, motorcycle accidents, boat accidents, truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, wrongful death, uninsured or underinsured, motorist claims, intentional infliction of emotional distress, dog bite claims, etc