What to have ready for the first call

First, if anyone is hurt

Get medical care and call 911 if you need to. Nothing on this page comes before that.

What to gather

• The date, the time and the place it happened, as close as you can say.
• A report number, if the police or another agency made a report, and the name of the agency.
• The names and phone numbers of anyone else involved, and of any witness.
• The name of your own insurer and your policy number, and the other side’s insurer if you have it.
• Photos or video of the scene, the vehicles, the damage and your injuries.
• The names of the doctors, clinics and hospitals who have treated you, and the dates.
• Any letters, emails, texts or calls from an insurer or anyone else about what happened.
• The days of work you have missed, and the name of your employer.

It does not have to be complete

Most people call with half of this. A lawyer’s office can help you find the rest. If you cannot remember a date or a name, say so. A guess that turns out wrong is worse than a blank that gets filled in later.

What to keep

• Keep anything that was damaged, such as clothing, a phone or a helmet, until a lawyer tells you what to do with it.
• Keep every letter and every bill, even the ones you do not understand yet.
• Write down what happened while you still remember it, including how you feel day to day. Keep the notes for yourself and your lawyer.

During the call

Have the ten questions beside you and write down the answers. A first call is also your chance to see how the office treats you. Ask how a fee is charged and read how fees work first so the answer makes sense. You are not agreeing to anything on a first call.

If you would like The Ledger Law Firm to call you, the form on this page sends your name, your number and a short note to the firm.