GENERAL INSRUCTIONS / FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
FOR INJURY VICTIMS WE REPRESENT

Things Which You Should NOT DO
Things for you to REMEMBER
Five BIG MISTAKES our clients make
Follow your doctor’s advice
First Steps in Representing You
Who to Talk To
What to Sign
Medical Payments Before Your Case Is Settled
Keep Detailed Records
Medical Liens
Subrogation
You May Be Watched and Photographed
Bankruptcy
Why Does It Take So Long?
What is the Value of My Case?
Filing a Lawsuit
Mediation
Uninsured/Underinsured Driver
Claims Against the Government How much does it cost for me to hire you?
How do I pay for the expenses of the case?
How am I going to pay for my medical bills?
How do you decide whether you will take my case?
How much is my personal injury case worth?
I don't live in Missouri or Illinois. How can you take my case?
Who from your law firm will work on my case?
How long will it take before we go to trial?
If there is a trial will I need to be there?
If my case settles, how long will it take before I receive money?
Will you speak with me before settling my case?

1. DO NOT TALK TO ANYONE ABOUT YOUR CASE.

2. DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING PERTAINING TO YOUR CASE EXCEPT WHATEVER YOUR ATTORNEY MAY REQUEST.

3. REPORT ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIONS TO YOUR ATTORNEY. YOU MAY BE UNDER SURVEILLANCE BY INVESTIGATORS. MOVIES, VIDEOTAPE AND STILL PHOTOGRAPHS MAY BE MADE OF YOU. BE MINDFUL OF YOUR ACTIONS!

4. MAKE AND KEEP APOINTMENTS WITH YOUR ATTORNEY AND THE STAFF TO HELP ENSURE ORDERLY PROCESSING OF YOUR CASE.

5. MAINTAIN A DIARY OF THE FOLLOWING:

a. Trips to doctor(s), hospital(s), therapy, prescription and “over the counter” medications, prosthesis fittings

b. Medical expenses

c. Out-of-pocket expenses, including travel expenses to secure medial treatment

d. Pain and anxiety

6. PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO YOUR ATTORNEY:

a. Written statements made by you to anyone, including correspondence (if unavailable, then execute authorizations to secure them):

i. Police
ii. Insurance adjuster
iii. Opposing party
iv. Other

b. Insurance adjuster’s car or other identification

c. Workers’ Compensation claim forms

d. All medical bills:

i. Doctor
ii. Hospital
iii. Travel expenses to secure medical treatment
iv. Prosthesis fittings
v. Prescription and “over-the-counter” medications
vi. Other

e. Proof of property damage:

i. Repair bills
ii. Repair estimates
iii. Appraisals, before and after damages were inflicted
iv. Proof of purchase price

f. Proof of ownership

i. Certificate of Title
ii. Purchase invoices
iii. Bills of sale
iv. Other

g. Vehicle inspection information

h. Wrecker (towing) bills

i. Ambulance bills

j. Photographs:

i. Vehicles
ii. Scene
iii. Injuries

k. Insurance policies:

i. Liability
ii. Hospitalization
iii. Disability
iv. Income protection
v. Mortgage protection
vi. Life
vii. Credit Life
viii. All applications for insurance

l. Client’s financial obligations:

i. Security agreements
ii. Mortgages/deeds of trust
iii. Amounts of payments
iv. When payable
v. Insurance protection

m. Copy of Client’s driver’s license

n. Copy of client’s social security card

o. Maintain all medicine containers for use at trial

p. Client’s earnings information

i. Wage statements form employers for past five (5) years
ii. Wage loss statement from current employer
iii. Payroll check stub showing earnings and deductionsv
iv. Income tax returns for past five (5) years (if unavailable, then execute Form 4506)

q. Client’s application for unemployment

r. In death cases:

i. Marriage license or other evidence of marriage
ii. Birth certificates of deceased and all of the beneficiaries
iii. Adoption orders
iv. Heirship affidavit
v. Relevant divorce and annulment papers
vi. Documents terminating parental rights
vii. Murder convictions that can prevent inheritance

Things Which You Should NOT DO

1. Do not give any statements, written, recorded, or oral, to anyone concerning your accident or injuries without first getting our approval.

2. Do not make any incorrect statement to any doctor who may treat or examine you respecting any prior injuries or accidents – if you don’t remember, say so.

3. Do not change your address or employment without notifying your attorney.

Things for you to REMEMBER

1. Address and Phone: Inform your attorney immediately of any change of address and/or telephone number or employment.

2. Car Repair: If your vehicle was damaged, try to obtain pictures before you get it repaired. Use color film and take a whole roll of pictures. Bring the film to us and we will have it developed. If you do not have a camera, please call and we will make arrangements to take the pictures.

3. Medical Items: Save all pill bottles, casts, braces, and any other items from your doctors.

4. Photographs: Give us any pictures and videos of the accident or accident scene that you or anyone else has taken for you.

5. Your job: Tell us of any changes in your job, job duties, salary or anything.

6. Receipts: Be sure to obtain and save all receipts itemizing any and all expenses you incurred as a result of your accident. Receipts must be dated and contain legible and complete vendor identification.

7. New information: Inform us of anything you think has a bearing on the case, including extensive medical treatment or hospitalization.

Five BIG MISTAKES our clients make

1. NOT SEEING THE DOCTOR IF YOU ARE IN PAIN.

2. NOT DOING WHAT YOUR DOCTOR SAYS.

3. NOT KEEPING YOUR DOCTOR APPOINTMENT.

4. DISCUSSING YOUR CASE WITH ANYONE OTHER THAN MEMBERS OF THIS OFFICE OR YOUR DOCTOR.

5. FAILING TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT MEDICAL PROBLEMS DUE TO THE ACCIDENT.

Follow your doctor’s advice

Be sure to do what your doctors tell you. There is never a reason or excuse to miss a doctor’s appointment. By missing a doctor’s appointment, you are saying to the doctor and to the insurance company that you don’t hurt and that it doesn’t matter that much. Our job is to make a recovery for you for the pain and suffering that can be proven. Not going to the doctor is a good way to prove that you are not hurting and that you don’t care. If you don’t care, the doctor may not care. It is very important for you to work hard to get well and to go to all of your appointments.

If you are in pain and you do not see a doctor, the insurance company and the jury will not believe that you are having pain.

Each time you go to the doctor and report that you are still having pain, your doctor makes an entry in his records. It is important for your doctor to have up-to-date information on your condition. Some clients get discouraged and do not see their doctor even though they are having pain. This may harm your claim. It is important that your doctor knows how you are feeling.

First Steps in Representing You

When you are first interviewed, general information regarding your case is obtained. Materials relating to things you should or should not do will be furnished to you. You will be requested to sign certain authorization forms which will allow us to obtain your medical records and other necessary information.

We will notify the person who was responsible for your injury and/or their insurance company that you have retained us as your attorneys. Requests will be sent to all of the doctors and hospitals involved in your care for your chart and billing information.

Who to Talk To

Do not talk about your case with anyone except this office and your doctors. If your own insurance company wants to talk about your case before they pay your medical bills, please refer them to us.

What to Sign

Any necessary information from employers, schools, or other persons will be obtained by us. You should not sign anything for anyone else until you check with us first.

Medical Payments Before Your Case Is Settled

While your case is pending against the insurance company of the person that caused your injury, we try to arrange to have your medical bills paid by your own insurance company. This could be from the medical payments provision of your own automobile insurance policy or your own health insurance policy, or if applicable, worker’s compensation insurance. Please be sure that all medical bills that relate to your injury are sent to our office, so that we may forward them to the appropriate insurance company.