| A lawyer and a wagon-wheel must be well | | | | You need something from your doctor saying |
| greased. German proverb | | | | you were unable to work because of the accident |
| If you absolutely cannot get a lawyer but you | | | | and for what time period. If you don't have this |
| honestly believe you have a personal injury case | | | | then you should probably just forget about it |
| then you have only one choice: you've got to go | | | | except for the fact that it won't hurt your case |
| it alone. | | | | to throw it in. |
| Now, I don't recommend you do your case | | | | And you need documentation from your work. |
| without a lawyer if you can get one. | | | | This should include how much you earned per |
| First of all, studies show that an injured person | | | | hour before the accident (actual proof: a pay stub |
| with a lawyer gets more money even after | | | | or letter from human resources). And it should |
| paying the lawyer than one without. | | | | include the number of hours you were working |
| Second, there are are pitfalls, which means you | | | | per week just before the accident. Once again |
| could fall in a pit which you could not get out of. | | | | the letter from human resources would be a |
| An excellent example of that is the uninsured or | | | | great place to include this information. |
| underinsured motorist case and there is an article | | | | Step Seven: Gather pictures. Pictures that will help |
| on that elsewhere in this blog. | | | | the outcome of your case include: 1) damage to |
| Third, you have no idea what your case is worth. | | | | your car if it is particulary bad (on the other hand |
| But you've been turned down countless times and | | | | a photo showing little or no damage is the |
| no lawyer wants your case but you believe in it | | | | opposite of helpful); |
| so you are doing it anyway. | | | | 2) pictures of your injuries (this would include right |
| Step One: Do yourself a favor and don't settle | | | | after the accident and then, if the injury is not |
| too early. You have to wait till all your injuries are | | | | completely healed, some taken at the time you |
| identified, diagnosed and treated. You'll reach a | | | | are putting together the brochure); pictures of |
| point where all your doctors agree you are at | | | | scars are particularly useful; |
| "maximum medical improvement." Don't settle | | | | 3) If you have a nice picture of yourself you may |
| before that point and there may be reasons to | | | | want to include it as it won't hurt your case and it |
| wait even further. | | | | could "humanize" you for a claims adjuster who |
| Step Two: Gather all the medical records from all | | | | has hundreds of files. |
| the doctors you've seen and the clinics and | | | | Step Eight: Summarize very simply and clearly in a |
| hospitals you've been to. | | | | cover letter the information you have gathered. |
| Step Three: Do the same thing with the medical | | | | You want a "total" for medical bills and you want |
| bills. You need every bill. | | | | to quote the doctors as to their findings or |
| Step Four: Get a copy of the accident report. | | | | "impressions" regarding your injuries. |
| Step Five: Get some idea of what your case is | | | | Step Nine: At the end of the Summary letter you |
| worth. See my blog post entitled: What's Your | | | | will need to ask for compensation. It's better to |
| Case Worth? Utah Injury Attorney Gives | | | | ask too high than too low as you can always |
| Guidelines | | | | come down but it is hard to raise a "demand" |
| Step Six: Summarize your lost income. Now you | | | | number when you realize you have set it too low. |
| can't just write a one page summary of your lost | | | | Now take the Summary letter and attach |
| income or lost wages and expect to get paid. My | | | | accident report, photos, lost wage summary, |
| clients have almost always had problems | | | | medical records and medical bills and make a copy |
| understanding what it takes to actually get paid | | | | for yourself. |
| on a lost wage claim. | | | | Mail the original to the claims adjuster. |