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You should never withhold information from your lawyer if there is any chance that information could affect your personal injury lawsuit. Your lawyer should receive potentially damaging or embarrassing information from you than from the insurance company or opposing counsel. “Top 5” things you should tell your attorney:
- Your Criminal History
- Prior Accidents, Injuries and Illnesses
- Subsequent Accidents and Illnesses
- If you File for Bankruptcy
- If you File for Divorce
Tell Your Lawyer Your Entire Criminal History
You should disclose your entire criminal history at your initial meeting with your lawyer. Most of this information doesn’t matter in your case, but you don’t know that unless you discuss it. Your attorney will generally not run a background check on you, but you can bet the insurance company and the opposing counsel will.
Your lawyer should not hear about your criminal record for the first time when opposing counsel asks you about it at your deposition (and the defense attorney will ask).
Convictions for misdemeanors involving dishonesty (such as fraud or theft) and felonies can be used to impeach your credibility as a witness. If your lawyer knows in advance about these convictions, he or she can help prepare you to answer questions about them. If the convictions are sufficiently old (usually more than ten years), your lawyer may be able to keep them out of your trial entirely. Most lawyers do not balk at a client with some criminal history. Of course, if you have recent convictions for insurance fraud, you may (and probably should) find that no lawyer wants to represent you.
Tell Your Lawyer About Prior Accidents, Injuries, and Illnesses
Your lawyer must know your condition before your accident to determine what injuries you can claim in your lawsuit.
To get a complete picture of your pre-existing conditions, your lawyer needs to know about all prior accidents (car accidents, slip & falls, work injuries, etc.), regardless of the type of accident that caused your current injuries. You should tell your lawyer about any chronic medical conditions, even if they were not caused by an accident. You should also tell your lawyer about any prior mental health treatment, as this may affect your emotional distress claim.
All of these prior accidents and illnesses will come through your medical records or opposing counsel’s background check, so there is no point in hiding them from your lawyer.
Tell Your Lawyer About Subsequent Accidents and Injuries
As with prior accidents and injuries, you must tell your lawyer if you suffer an injury after the one for which your current lawsuit entails.
Some subsequent injuries may relate to your lawsuit, such as a fall caused by the knee you injured suddenly giving out.
If you are involved in a minor accident after your lawsuit is filed, such as a fender bender, you still need to let your lawyer know about it. Opposing counsel will eventually discover it, and it may appear that you are trying to claim injuries from the subsequent accident in your current lawsuit (even if you suffered no injuries in the subsequent accident).
Tell Your Lawyer if You File for Bankruptcy
If you file for bankruptcy any time after your accident but before your lawsuit is settled, your personal injury lawyer must know immediately.
Filing bankruptcy does not necessarily mean you won’t recover anything from your lawsuit. Certain bankruptcy exemptions ($50k in Oklahoma) will likely apply to your lawsuit and may let you recover some, if not all, of your damages despite the bankruptcy. If the applicable exemptions make it appear that your bankruptcy estate will not receive any money from your lawsuit, the trustee may give up on your lawsuit and not pursue anything from it.
Tell Your Lawyer if You File for Divorce
If you file for divorce while your lawsuit is pending, your personal injury lawyer needs to know. He or she may want to depose your soon-to-be-ex-spouse before hostilities erupt (or escalate).
If your accident contributed to your divorce (e.g., from the loss of your job or a change in your personality due to your injuries), your divorce may factor into your emotional distress damages (as well as your spouse’s loss of consortium damages).
Some of your damages (such as prior wage loss) may be subject to division in the divorce. Your lawyer needs to know this before distributing any settlement money.
When in Doubt, Tell Your Lawyer Everything
If you have doubts about telling your personal injury lawyer something, always err on the side of disclosure. Your lawyer is not there to judge you; he or she only cares about how the information you provide may affect your lawsuit. Your disclosures will be kept confidential due to the attorney-client relationship, and failure to disclose information will always be worse for you than over-sharing.
Lawyer Communication FAQs
What should I do if I remember additional details about the accident after my initial meeting with my lawyer?
If new memories or details about the accident surface after your initial meeting, sharing this information with your lawyer as soon as possible is important. Even seemingly minor details can have a significant impact on your case. Your attorney should be happy you thought to disclose this information.
How do I document my injuries and treatments for my lawyer?
Keep a detailed record of all medical treatments, consultations, and diagnoses related to your injuries. Save all medical bills, prescription receipts, and any correspondence with healthcare providers. This documentation will be critical in substantiating your claim. Your attorney will request all other necessary records and bills from your medical providers.
Can information about my mental health impact my car accident lawsuit?
Yes, information about your mental health can impact your lawsuit, especially if you are claiming emotional distress damages. Disclose any pre-existing mental health conditions and treatments, as well as any new issues that have arisen as a result of the accident.
What happens if I don’t have all the requested information available?
If you’re unable to provide all the requested information immediately, communicate this to your lawyer and work together to obtain the necessary details. Your lawyer can assist in gathering information and can advise you on the steps to take. Your attorney will have you sign a HIPAA Release that gives their office authorization to request copies of your records and bills.
Can changes in my employment status affect my case?
Yes, changes in your employment status, whether related to the accident or not, should be communicated to your lawyer. These changes can affect the calculation of lost wages and future earning capacity.
What if I discover additional witnesses after filing the lawsuit?
Inform your lawyer immediately if you discover additional witnesses after filing the lawsuit. New witness testimonies can provide valuable support to your case. The judge on your case will assign deadlines for when this information must be disclosed to the other side.
How do I handle medical bills while my case is pending?
Discuss with your lawyer the best approach for handling medical bills while your case is pending. They can advise you on using medical insurance, negotiating with healthcare providers, or other strategies to manage these expenses.