When you've had an automobile accident, you're going to be on the receiving end of a lot of questions.
Police officers, insurance agents, mechanics, and lawyer's are all going to get information from you, but don't forget that there are some questions you are entitled to have answered as well.
Whether you're being defended against someone else's claim of negligence or injury, or whether you're trying to make a guilty party pay for wrecking your ride, don't be shy about asking questions of your legal team - and there are a few you absolutely shouldn't forget to bring up.
While it's best to leave the legal aspects to the professionals, just because you aren't a lawyer, that doesn't mean you don't have any right to know how your case is proceeding.
These can also be useful questions to pose to a prospective law firm before hiring them, if you're unsure about their skill or credibility.
The first things you should get straight are your own rights in the situation.
As your lawyer's sole purpose is to advocate for your rights under the law, he or she should be able to answer the most important question right off the bat: What are my rights, and what do I have to do to protect them? Your lawyer can then run down the list of what sorts of compensation, and what responsibilities you have insofar as providing information to police, judicial authorities, or various other agencies involved in the accident.
Hopefully, very soon after the accident you and any other injured or involved parties were given a close medical examination.
Based on the severity of your injuries - and that goes not just for bodily harm, but also damage to your vehicle, property, and possessions - you may be very concerned about how you'll manage to cope with the aftermath.
Hospital stays can be lengthy and expensive, and someone will have to be accountable for those bills.
Automobile accidents are also highly likely to need more chiropractic work or physical therapy for weeks, sometimes months, after the ordeal, and let's not forget drugs - whether they be antibiotics or analgesics, you'll probably be taking them, and that means more visits to the doctor's, more prescriptions, and therefore more bills.
And that list only touches the surface of the potential financial catastrophe that a severe car accident can instigate.
If you haven't got a car any more, or if you're not fit to drive while recuperating, you'll need someone to take you everywhere from you to running errands at the supermarket.
Unless your area has excellent public transportation or you have some particularly sweet relatives who live close by, this kind of private chaffering can cost a pretty penny.
You may be so out of sorts that you'll need help around the house temporarily - or, in the worst case, permanently - and assisted living services don't come cheap either! Add to that the specter of lost income from missing work, potential damage to your property, and all the pain and suffering you'll have to endure - who's going to pay for all this? Your lawyer should be able to straighten that all out and arrange for the proper agencies to come in and support you, whether it be via insurance claims or remuneration through damages.
And speaking of claims, perhaps your lawyer's most important function is keeping track of all the paperwork.
Accidents inevitably involve the filing of multiple, sometimes dozens, of claims with various agencies and authorities.
If you're not clear, be sure to ask your lawyer in detail about what forms need to be filled out, what claim letters need to be sent, which insurance agents must be notified, and what the filing deadlines for each are, as they can be quite strict and surprisingly short.
You wouldn't want to miss out on the opportunity to claim your rights under the law because you waited too long, and that's what your lawyer is for.