Many potential clients take notes at the accident scene of what they saw, heard, and the information of the other party. They take notes of witnesses who came up to them or saw the accident. This information is crucial to a proper investigation and proof in every case, See Importance of Immediate Investigation. Give all information to the attorney you hire immediately. If you have not hired an attorney yet, keep these notes in a separate envelope or folder. Label the folder. Lock the notes and documents within the file in some fashion with staples, etc. so they cannot fall out.

This suggestion seems rather simple and obvious, but our attorney's experience has shown repeatedly that clients will lose this information and sometimes it is not retrievable. Therefore, our recommended steps should be taken to preserve the information, when needed later.

Witness information is the single largest portion of lost or missing information. The auto accident witness passed a business card that went into the client's wallet. Later it was misplaced and cannot be located despite searching all over. The police report can, but sometimes does not, contain this information. Therefore, if that information is lost, it is usually unrecoverable.

Wage loss documents are another example of frequently lost documents. The client cannot work and is given a work release document. Once shown to the employer, the employer does not keep a copy. Later, it is misplaced and not a part of the records of the doctor. Therefore, the insurance carrier argues you were not actually released from work, and the doctor likely cannot recall without records to that effect.

The auto accident victim may also have some confusion after a severe accident. During this period, information is easily misplaced. We recommend that the potential client's spouse or significant other assemble the documents for the injured person so that it can be preserved for later. Also note that when involved in an auto accident, you are many times without a car and this can lead to confusion where you put information you acquired.

In all cases, it is important to make and keep a file where all your important documents will be placed, and the documents should be attached to the file. Keep your file until the claim has been paid and the file can be closed. Save your file for future issues such as taxes, or to refresh your memory if you have a later complication of another accident.

Later, this small step may help your case considerably if that witness needs to testify or that wage loss documented. Call or contact us at 1-888-752-7474 or Contact Us Online.