What Documents Should I Bring to My First Lawyer Consultation?

Your first lawyer consultation is a chance to explain what happened, ask questions, and learn whether you may have a personal injury claim. Bringing useful documents can help the attorney understand your situation and give you more meaningful guidance. But don’t delay speaking with an attorney because you don’t have every document.

Most people arrive at their first consultation with only part of the information related to their accident. That’s normal. Bring what you have, and the attorney can explain what additional records may be useful.

If you’ve been injured in Massachusetts, here’s what you should consider bringing to your first meeting with a personal injury lawyer.

What Should I Bring to My First Lawyer Consultation?

The documents you need will depend on the type of accident and injury.

If available, consider bringing:

• Accident or police reports
• Photographs and videos
• Medical records
• Medical bills
• Insurance information
• Letters or emails from insurance companies
• Information about lost wages
• Witness contact information
• A copy of any settlement offer
• Notes about the accident and your injuries

Don’t worry if you’re missing some of these items. Your attorney can help identify records that may need to be obtained later.

Bring the Accident or Incident Report

If police, a business, an employer, or another organization prepared a report about the incident, bring a copy if you have one.

For example, a car accident may have a police crash report. A fall at a store may result in an incident report. An injury at school or another facility may have been documented internally.

These reports can provide useful information about when and where the incident happened and who was involved.

If you don’t have a report yet, tell the attorney one was created.

Bring Photographs and Videos

Visual evidence can be extremely useful in a personal injury case.

Bring any photographs or videos showing:

• The accident scene
• Vehicle damage
• Dangerous property conditions
• Your injuries
• Damaged clothing or personal property
• Conditions that changed after the accident

Don’t delete original photographs simply because they seem unimportant.

Images may contain information about when they were taken and can document conditions that no longer exist.

Medical Records Are Important

Medical information helps an attorney understand the nature and severity of your injuries.

If you have medical records, discharge instructions, test results, or treatment summaries, bring them to your first lawyer consultation.

Useful records may come from:

• Emergency rooms
• Hospitals
• Primary care physicians
• Specialists
• Physical therapists
• Chiropractors
• Rehabilitation facilities

You do not need to obtain your entire medical history before meeting with a lawyer.

Start with what you already have.

Bring Your Medical Bills

Medical bills help show the financial impact of an injury.

Bring bills from hospitals, doctors, therapists, ambulance services, pharmacies, and other medical providers when available.

Keep bills even if health insurance has already paid part of them.

Personal injury claims can involve more than the amount you personally paid out of pocket, and your attorney will need to understand the complete picture.

Bring Insurance Information and Correspondence

If an insurance company has contacted you, bring those communications.

That includes:

• Letters
• Emails
• Claim numbers
• Adjuster contact information
• Insurance policies
• Coverage information
• Settlement offers

If you’ve received a settlement offer, don’t assume you need to accept it because the insurer has given you a deadline.

Our article Should I Accept the First Settlement Offer? explains some of the factors to consider before resolving a personal injury claim.

Bring Any Settlement Offer You Have Received

If the insurance company has already offered you money, bring the entire offer and any release it has asked you to sign.

This can be particularly important.

Accepting a settlement generally involves releasing legal claims arising from the incident. An attorney can review the proposed agreement and help you understand what accepting it would mean.

Avoid signing documents you don’t understand simply to speed up the process.

Bring Information About Lost Income

An injury may affect your ability to work.

If you’ve missed work, bring whatever documentation you have showing your lost income.

This could include pay stubs, employer correspondence, tax information, or records showing the days you couldn’t work.

If you’re self-employed, calculating lost income can be more complicated. Bring whatever financial records you have, and discuss the issue with the attorney.

Bring Witness Information

If anyone saw the accident or the conditions that caused it, bring their contact information.

Even a name, telephone number, email address, or business card can help.

Witnesses may become harder to locate as time passes, so give this information to your attorney as early as possible.

Don’t worry about interviewing witnesses yourself. Your attorney can determine whether and how they should be contacted.

Make a Simple Timeline Before Your First Lawyer Consultation

One of the most helpful things you can bring isn’t an official document at all.

Write a short timeline.

Include the date of the accident, what happened, where you received treatment, important conversations with insurers, time missed from work, and any significant changes in your symptoms.

You don’t need to write a novel.

A page or two can help you remember important details during your first lawyer consultation, especially if the accident happened weeks or months earlier.

What If You Already Spoke With the Insurance Company?

Tell the lawyer.

Explain what was discussed and whether you provided a recorded statement.

Bring copies of any emails, letters, forms, or other communications you exchanged with the insurer.

You should also tell the attorney if the insurance company has asked you to sign medical authorizations or other documents.

If you’re deciding whether to continue handling the claim yourself, see Should I Settle With Insurance or Hire a Lawyer? for additional factors to consider.

Don’t Hide Information That Seems Unhelpful

Your lawyer needs the good facts and the bad ones.

For example, tell the attorney about prior accidents, earlier injuries involving the same part of your body, statements you made after the accident, or anything else you think the opposing side could raise.

Don’t decide that something isn’t relevant and leave it out.

A potentially difficult fact is much easier for an attorney to address when the attorney knows about it from the beginning.

What Questions Should You Bring?

Your consultation isn’t just an opportunity for the attorney to ask questions. You should ask questions too.

You may want to ask:

• Have you handled cases like mine?
• Who would handle my case?
• What challenges do you see?
• How will we communicate?
• How are attorney fees and expenses handled?
• What are the next steps if I hire the firm?
• What should I avoid doing while the claim is pending?

You don’t need to hire the first attorney you meet.

Our guide How to Choose Between Multiple Personal Injury Lawyers explains what to compare when deciding which attorney or firm is right for your case.

What If I Don’t Have All My Documents?

Go to the consultation anyway.

This is worth emphasizing because people sometimes put off contacting a lawyer while trying to create a perfect file.

You don’t need one.

If you have only a police report and a few photographs, bring those. If you have nothing except the name of the hospital where you received treatment, you can still speak with an attorney.

A lawyer can determine what additional documents and evidence may need to be collected.

Don’t Wait Too Long to Schedule a Consultation

Evidence can become harder to obtain with time. Witnesses can become difficult to locate, surveillance footage may be deleted, and memories can fade.

There are also legal deadlines for bringing personal injury claims.

Massachusetts law imposes statutes of limitations on civil actions, and the applicable deadline can depend on the type of claim and circumstances involved.

For official information about Massachusetts laws and the court system, you can visit the Massachusetts Court System.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I bring to my first lawyer consultation?

Bring any documents you already have related to the accident, including reports, photographs, medical records, bills, insurance correspondence, wage information, witness details, and settlement offers.

Do I need all my medical records before meeting a lawyer?

No. Bring the medical documents you have. An attorney can help determine whether additional records should be requested.

Should I bring photographs from my phone?

Yes. Photographs and videos of the accident scene, property damage, dangerous conditions, or your injuries may provide useful evidence.

Should I bring an insurance settlement offer?

Yes. Bring the complete offer along with any release or other documents the insurance company has asked you to sign.

What if I already gave the insurance company a recorded statement?

Tell the attorney during your consultation. Explain when the statement occurred and what you remember discussing.

Can I meet with a lawyer if I don’t have any documents?

Yes. Don’t postpone a consultation simply because you haven’t collected every record. Explain what happened and tell the attorney what documents may exist.

Should I bring a list of questions?

Yes. Writing down your questions beforehand can help you make better use of the consultation and compare attorneys if you’re meeting with more than one firm.

Preparing for Your First Lawyer Consultation

You don’t need a perfectly organized case file before speaking with an attorney.

For your first lawyer consultation, bring the documents and information you already have. Accident reports, photographs, medical information, insurance correspondence, wage records, and a simple timeline can give the attorney a useful starting point.

Most importantly, be open about what happened. Your attorney needs accurate information to evaluate the strengths and potential challenges of your claim.

At Swartz & Swartz, P.C., our attorneys represent individuals and families in personal injury matters involving serious accidents, catastrophic injuries, medical malpractice, product liability, wrongful death, and other claims.

If you or a family member has been injured and you have questions about your legal options, contact Swartz & Swartz, P.C. to discuss your situation.

Need Help?

If you or someone you know, needs help from a lawyer, contact the law offices of Swartz & Swartz, use our live chat, or send us a message using the form below and we’ll get in touch to assess your case and how we can help.