If you've incurred significant costs due to a serious injury or wrongful death in the family, it’s important that you consult an attorney right away. The Capitola personal injury lawyers at Harris Personal Injury Lawyers can evaluate your case for free, answer your questions, and launch an immediate investigation to gather any time-sensitive evidence. We have won more than $300 million for clients in cases involving vehicle collisions, slip and falls, dog bites, and other types of accidents. Our attorneys have the experience, resources, and skills to take on even the largest insurance companies, corporations, government entities, and negligent individuals. Dial 1-800-GO-HARRIS to speak with a member of our team in a free consultation. We’re available 24/7 to take your call.

Accident Cases Our Injury Attorneys Handle in Capitola, California

• Bus Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Motorcycle Crashes
• Car Accidents
• Pedestrian Injuries
• Boat Accidents
• Accidents Involving Turo Vehicles
• Accidents Involving Rideshare Vehicles
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Brain Trauma
• Burn Trauma
• Dog Bites
• Aircraft Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Scooter Injuries
• Premises Liability
• Slip and Falls
• Train Accidents
• Wrongful Death
• Other Personal Injuries

How to Prepare for the Initial Consultation

Even if you haven’t had time to prepare for the initial consultation, it’s important that you speak to an attorney right away. Valuable evidence might be altered or may become unavailable. Your lawyer will want to investigate your case at the earliest possible point in time—not only to gather evidence but also to help you avoid mistakes that would harm your claim. After you’ve scheduled your first meeting with a personal injury attorney, there are steps you can take to prepare for the consultation and ensure your case gets off to a strong start. Examples include:

• Compile All Evidence of Liability: Gather any evidence you have to prove fault. This may include photos and videos, eyewitness statements and contact details, the police report, and the incident report. There might be other evidence your attorney will want to see depending on the facts of your case.

• Prepare Photos and Videos to Be Transferred: If you took any photos or videos of the scene using your smartphone, prepare them to be transferred. You can save them to a computer and then a thumb drive, or upload them to a cloud drive or an online file-sharing system.

• Gather Your Medical Records: Bring any prescriptions and other records related to your diagnosis and treatment.

• Compile Your Medical Bills: To recover a fair settlement, you’ll have to prove the value of the damages you’ve incurred. Your attorney will want to see any bills, invoices, and receipts related to emergency care, surgeries, prescriptions, physical therapy, and medical equipment purchases.

• Gather Pertinent Financial Documents: Personal injury claimants can seek compensation for any lost income and loss of earning capacity caused by their injuries. Your attorney will want to see your recent tax returns, paystubs, and perhaps other financial documents that demonstrate your pre-injury income.

• Record a List of Questions: You probably have many questions about the laws pertaining to your case and what to expect over the coming weeks and months. Your initial consultation is the perfect opportunity to gain insight into your circumstances. Before your first meeting with an attorney, write down any questions you have about your case.

You should also take the time to record your answers to the questions your attorney may ask during the consultation. These questions might include:

• When, where, and how did the accident happen?
• Who caused the accident?
• Did you see any surveillance cameras in the vicinity?
• Did you record eyewitness statements? Did you write down their contact information?
• Did responding officers perform any chemical tests or make any arrests?
• What were you doing just before the accident? Do you think the opposing party might argue that your own negligence was a contributing factor?
• Have you already visited a doctor? What was your diagnosis? What medical care have you received?
• Have you spoken to anyone affiliated with the insurance company? What was said during those interactions?
• What costs have you incurred due to your accident and injury?
• Have you had to take time off work due to your injuries?
• What types of insurance do you carry?
• Did you gather any insurance information from the opposing party?

Call 1-800-GO-HARRIS to Speak with Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Capitola

The attorneys at Harris Personal Injury Lawyers truly understand the hardship faced by accident victims and their families. Nothing can undo the pain and emotional trauma you have faced, but our team can help you plot the path forward and pursue the compensation you need to get your life back. We are available 24/7 to take your call, and we can come to you if you cannot come to our office. Schedule a free consultation today by calling 1-800-GO-HARRIS or filling out our Contact Form.