Car Accidents — Initial injury lawyer meeting — Questions for the driver

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.

If you were driving a car and were involved in a car accident, the questions may include some of the following things.

Your qualifications to drive a car

Are you a licensed driver?
Does your license have any restrictions?
Were you wearing your glasses or lenses?
Were you under any impairment?
Has your license been revoked?

What you know about the car you were driving

Are you familiar with the car involved?
How often do you drive it?
Was the car in good working order?
When was it last serviced?
Where was it last serviced?

What you know about the area of the accident

What was your intended route?
Are you familiar with the route?
Are you familiar with the area?
Were there any road obstructions?
Was your view obstructed?

What you remember about the car accident

Can you describe the car accident as you saw it?
When were you first aware of the other car?
Was your vision in any way impaired?
What were the actions of the other car?
What were the points of contact between the cars?

What you did

What were your actions just prior to the car accident?
Did you sound your horn?
Did you apply your brakes?
Did you swerve in any manner?
Did you leave skid marks?

What happened after the car accident

Did your car continue to move?
Did your car change direction?
Did the defendant’s car continue to move?
Did the defendant’s car change direction?
Were the cars moved before the police arrived?
Did you talk with the other driver? If so, what did you say and what did the other driver say?
Did you talk with anyone else? If so, what did you say and what did the other person say?

What traffic control devices were in the area of the car accident

Were there traffic lights at the scene? If so, did they operate properly?
Was the area controlled by a stop sign? If so, was it in any way obstructed?
What was the posted speed limit?
Were there any directional signs?
Was there a yield or warning sign?
Was there a school sign?
Were there any lane demarcations?
Was there a lane divider or island?

One-car accidents

Was the area under construction?
Were there any road defects?
Was there snow, ice or excessive moisture?
Did you experience any car defects or failures?
Was the area properly signed?
Was the area properly banked?
Was the area properly illuminated?
Were the sight lines acceptable?