Meeting with a Bus Accident Attorney? Here’s How to Get Ready
Buses represent a convenient, affordable, and quick way to travel around California, but this sprawling public transport network isn’t without its issues. It’s not uncommon for buses to be involved in serious wrecks, and it’s the passengers who often bear the brunt of these devastating collisions.
If you were hurt in a bus wreck, you may be eager to meet with an attorney to find out whether you have grounds to pursue compensation. Fortunately, most personal injury lawyers will meet with you for free, so you won’t have to spend a cent to get the answers you need to make informed decisions about your case.
While it’s not necessary to prepare anything for your initial consultation, it might be wise to take some of the steps listed here to protect your claim and make the most of this opportunity:
Compile Relevant Financial Documents
In a bus accident claim, you will only be able to receive compensation for the costs you can demonstrate. As such, gathering any receipts, invoices, bills, and estimates associated with your post-accident expenses is incredibly important. Such financial documents might include bills for the medical care you’ve received, estimates for repairs, and invoices for any modifications you’ve had to make to your home or vehicle to accommodate limitations stemming from your injuries.
If you were unable to work because of your condition, you should also compile proof of the wages you’ve lost as a direct result of the wreck. Proof that might help demonstrate such losses could include pay stubs, tax returns, and letters from your employer.
Disable Your Social Media Profiles
As you wait to meet with your attorney, it’s important to take a few steps that might help protect your claim. One of the most important actions is deactivating your social media accounts as this will remove the temptation to post and will prevent the insurer from poring through your posts. Ultimately, anything you say online could be used as evidence to challenge your credibility, so it’s crucial that you don’t post anything about the accident, your injuries, pending case, or expenses.
Start Writing Daily Entries in a Personal Injury Journal
If you suffered a particularly serious injury, starting a post-accident diary could be useful to your case. This journal is your space to keep track of any medication side effects, pain levels, limitations, and doctor’s visits. As you will have an opportunity to pursue non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, your entries could help give others a window into how your life has been impacted by your condition. You should share your journal with your attorney during the initial consultation.
Follow Your Doctor’s Orders Closely
If you haven’t yet undergone a medical assessment, you should schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Once you’ve received a diagnosis, it’s important to stick to your treatment plan as any signs that you went against your healthcare provider’s instructions could result in disputes—especially if you suffered complications because of your negligence. That might mean taking time off work to let your injuries heal, avoiding physical activity for the duration of your recovery, or attending follow-ups and consultations whenever necessary.
Speak to a Bus Accident Attorney in California Today
If your last trip ended in a wreck, you may be able to recover compensation for many of the losses stemming from this traumatic event. At Harris Personal Injury Lawyers, we can meet with you for free to assess the merits of your claim, answer your questions, and provide guidance for the weeks ahead. Contact us today at 1-800-GO-HARRIS or jump to our contact page HERE to request a free case evaluation with a California bus accident attorney.
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