Personal Injury Lawyer - The Importance of Communication

Apr 25
08:14

2012

Abraham Avotina

Abraham Avotina

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If you are looking to hire a personal injury lawyer to bring a suit against a negligent party, there are some things you need to know about moving forward. Here are some things you need to tell any attorney.

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If you're looking to hire a personal injury lawyer to bring a suit against a negligent party,Personal Injury Lawyer - The Importance of Communication Articles there are some things you need to know about moving forward. Attorney/client privilege exists for a reason. If a client was not able to tell his attorney anything and everything he wanted, it would compromise the firm's ability to represent the client in the best fashion possible. While this privilege is especially important in criminal cases, it is also important in civil trials. You need to be open and honest in your communication to have the best chance of victory. Here are some things you need to share.

Previous Accidents and Injuries

One of the first things an opposing attorney is going to look into is your medical history. If you're filing a claim based around a knee injury and you have three previous knee injuries in your history, it's going to be that much more difficult to bring a successful case. But it will be exponentially more difficult if you don't let your personal injury lawyer know about your previous injuries. When something like this is dropped like a bomb halfway into negotiations or, worse, in the middle of a trial, it can ruin a case.

Criminal Past

If you have any criminal history in your background, let your personal injury lawyer know. Does a DUI charge when you were 22 affect a slip and fall case at 40? Probably not. But it may very well have an effect on a car crash case. Either way, don't try to determine the relevancy yourself. Let your legal counsel know about the charges or convictions and let him determine what, if anything, it has to do with the current case. It's always better to tell your attorney more than he needs to know than less.

Post-Incident Injuries

This is very important. If you've had any accidents or injuries after the case you're now trying to press forward, you need to let your personal injury lawyer know about it. The opposing attorneys are going to try to make the case that you are suing for medical bills that aren't related to the incident at hand. While this may be a ludicrous claim, you need to let your counsel know the kind of opposition and arguments he is likely to face so he can prepare the proper defense. Don't assume that this will go unnoticed or that you can just deal with it if it comes up.