Your First Roadway Injury Consultation: What to Expect

A roadway injury can leave you with scattered paperwork and a long list of questions. Before a consultation, gather the information you already have and write down what you want to understand. You do not need a perfectly organized file to contact our office.

Most clients hire us without an office visit. Consultations and getting started can be handled by phone and email. Our office will explain which documents would be helpful and how to send them.

This checklist is for people seeking help after a car accident, commercial truck crash, motorcycle wreck, or another roadway incident in Kansas or Missouri. It can help you prepare for the conversation without trying to work out the legal answers yourself.

Start with a short account of what happened

Write down the date, approximate time and location of the incident. Identify the vehicles or people involved and describe what you remember. If there are parts you do not know or cannot recall, say so.

Keep your account factual. Separate what you saw from information someone later told you. Include any important events since the incident, such as receiving a report number, an insurance letter or a request for information.

Gather the records already available to you

Put these items together if you have them:

• Crash information. A police report or report number, driver information exchange sheet, and witness contact information.
• Photos and video. Images of the scene, vehicles or other relevant details. Keep the original files and tell the attorney where any other footage may be available.
• Insurance information. Insurance cards, policy documents and claim numbers already in your possession. Include correspondence you have received. If you are unsure which policy matters, make a note to ask.
• Treatment and expenses. Copies of records or bills you already have, provider names and appointment dates. You do not need to interpret medical findings for the attorney.
• Work information. Dates of work you missed and relevant records you already have, such as an employer letter or pay information.
• Other correspondence. Letters, emails, forms or documents relating to the incident, including anything you have signed.

You do not have to assemble every item before contacting the office. Explain what is missing and ask which records would be useful next. If you have already spoken with an insurer, include any correspondence and tell the attorney what you recall about that conversation. Discuss questions about further insurance contact with Caleb or Dustin.

Prepare questions about representation

Use the consultation to understand the proposed relationship and the next steps. Useful questions include:

• Does this matter fit the firm’s roadway injury practice?
• What additional information do you need before deciding whether to accept it?
• Who would be responsible for the matter, and how would I receive updates?
• What does the fee agreement cover, and how are litigation expenses handled?
• Are there deadlines or immediate steps we need to discuss?
• If the firm accepts the matter, what happens next?

Ask for clarification whenever a term or explanation is unfamiliar. The consultation is also an opportunity to identify questions that cannot be answered until more information is available.

If you are helping someone else

Tell the office who was injured and your relationship to that person. Ask who should participate in the consultation and what information the firm needs. Do not assume that being a relative or helping organize paperwork gives you authority to make decisions for someone else.

Keep personal documents private

Do not post medical records, insurance documents or detailed case information in social-media comments. Before sending documents to the firm, ask what is needed and how to provide it. The website’s contact form warns against sending confidential or time-sensitive information through the form.

Understand what happens after the conversation

A consultation is a chance to discuss the facts, ask questions and learn whether the firm may be able to help. It is not a promise of a particular recovery or outcome. Confirm whether the firm has agreed to represent you and review the written agreement before relying on representation.

Talk with Biesterveld & Crook

Biesterveld & Crook handles roadway injury cases in Kansas and Missouri. To learn about the firm’s scope, visit our Roadway Injury Cases page.

Your consultation is free. Call (913) 353-5870 or contact our office.

This article provides general information and is not legal advice about a particular matter. Contacting the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship.