Initial injury lawyer meeting — Questions about damages

Your personal injury lawyer will need to learn a lot of things about your lawsuit and will ask you a lot of questions when you first meet.

Some of those questions will be about the damages that you have suffered as a result of the car accident, and those types of questions may include some of the following things.

Your work

What is your present job?
What is the name of the company you work for?
What is its business address?
Where is your work location?
Who is your immediate supervisor?

What is your current salary?
Are you paid by the hour or week?
What benefits do you receive?
Do you belong to a union?
Can you get the contract and benefit book?

What jobs have you held in the past?
What was the reason for terminating the job?
Where can records be obtained?

What were your future job plans?
Were you taking any special training?
Do you have any special skills or talents?

Your education

What schools did you attend, and when?
Did you graduate?
Did you receive any honors?
In which activities did you participate?
What is your highest level attained?
What was your reason for stopping?

Have you had additional training or courses?
Have you attended any vocational schools?
Have you taken any in-service courses?

Your military status

Were you in the Armed Forces?
What branch?
What was the highest rank achieved?
What special training did you receive?
What was the date and reason for your discharge?

Did you receive any service-related injuries?
What treatment was rendered?
Are medical records available?
Were there any lasting effects?

Are you entitled to any veteran benefits?
Do you receive any benefits at present?

Your involvement with courts and government

Have you ever been convicted of any crime?
Have you ever been placed under arrest?
What was the outcome?

Have you ever been the subject of an investigation?
Who was conducting the investigation?
What were the circumstances?

Do you hold any licenses?
Are there any convictions or restrictions on your driver’s license?
Do you hold any vocational licenses?

Have you ever had a license suspended?
For how long was the license suspended?
What was the reason for the suspension?

Have you been involved in any prior injury claims?
What were the circumstances?
When did it take place?
What injuries were claimed?
What was the outcome?
Have you made any non-auto injury claims?
What were the circumstances?
What was the outcome?

Have you been involved in any non-injury claims?
Have you ever appeared in court?
Have you had a protection order filed against you?
Have you had a landlord-tenant dispute?
Have you ever been to small claims court?

Have you filed your taxes on a regular basis?
Have you ever been audited?
Do you declare all sources of income?

Your sports and hobbies

Your recreational activities and hobbies can be key elements for establishing claims for diminution of the quality of life as a result of the car accident.

What athletic activities do you participate in?
Has there been a change in your participation?
Are you a regular spectator at sporting events?
Do you belong to a gym or center?
Are you able to continue to attend?

What hobbies do you enjoy?
Do you belong to a hobby group?
Do you subscribe to any periodicals?
Has the accident affected your involvement?

To what organizations do you belong?
Are you involved in church activities?
Are you active in any political clubs?
Do you perform any community service?
Do you belong to the PTA?
Are you active in Boy’s Clubs or Scouts?
Has the accident affected your involvement?

What type of leisure activities do you enjoy?
Do you attend movies?
Do you enjoy dancing?
Do you go to parties?
Has the accident affected your involvement?

Your prior medical condition

Your personal injury attorney will need to know about any medical condition that you had before the car accident.

Have you had previous injuries to your body?
What was the injury?
When did the injury take place?
How has the injury affected your activities?
Who treated the condition?

Do you have any preexisting medical conditions?
What is the condition?
How long has the condition existed?
How has the condition affected your activities?
Who has treated the condition?

Have you had any preexisting disabilities?
What is the disability?
How long has it existed?
What limitations has it had on your activities?
Has any organization certified the disability?
Who has treated the condition?