A useful first conversation
After a collision, the information in front of you may arrive in pieces: a report number, a repair estimate, messages from an insurer, and instructions from a medical provider. You do not need to turn those pieces into a legal argument before calling. Begin with what happened, when it happened, and whether anyone has already asked you to sign or respond to something.
Todd's automobile accident practice is based in Shreveport and serves clients across Louisiana. A consultation is an opportunity to ask whether your matter fits that practice. Explain whether you were driving, riding as a passenger, or helping someone who was injured. If you cannot recall part of the collision, say that plainly instead of filling in the gap.
Build a record you can explain
Keep the materials already in your possession together. Label photos with the date you received or took them, retain the original files, and distinguish your observations from something a witness told you. A brief sequence of events can be more useful than a long account that mixes the collision with later phone calls. Keep the sequence factual and leave uncertain details marked as uncertain.
For a Shreveport collision, identify the road, direction of travel, and nearest intersection or exit you remember. Record the responding agency and report number if those are available. A street name alone may leave important questions unanswered. If a diagram helps you describe where the vehicles were, bring it and explain that it reflects your recollection.
Separate the questions on your desk
Vehicle repairs, an injury, time away from work, and requests from an insurance company can all appear in the same folder. Separate them for the consultation so you can explain which issue each document concerns. Bring correspondence as well as the envelope or email showing when it arrived. Ask counsel how those issues relate to one another in your situation.
If an adjuster has called, write down the name, company, claim reference, and purpose of the call. Tell the office about any recorded statement, authorization, or proposed release. Ask what a document would do before making a decision about it. This page cannot evaluate a policy, a release, or responsibility for a particular crash.
What to bring, and what can wait
Start with the collision date and place, contact details for the people involved, available photographs, and letters or messages you have received. Add any report reference and a list of the records you know exist but do not yet have. The consultation can address missing information; waiting to assemble a perfect folder should not become a reason to delay asking about timing.
Keep private medical documents for an appropriate conversation with the office. An initial contact message can simply identify that you want to discuss a car accident and how to reach you. Ask how to provide records securely and what is actually needed. You can read the existing guide to preparing for an injury consultation before you call.
Act 423 of the 2024 legislative session created Civil Code article 3493.1 and extended it to two years, effective July 1, 2024.
This sentence comes from the firm's Louisiana injury deadline article. Bring the actual incident date and any notices to a consultation; general information cannot determine the timing for your individual circumstances.