Build a one-page event chronology
List the event date and place, when symptoms or injuries became known, medical visits, reports, insurance contacts, work effects, notices, and any proposed release. Mark estimates and unknowns instead of filling gaps.
Create a party and place map
Name every person, employer, property owner, manufacturer, contractor, insurer, and public entity that may be connected. Note where each is located and why it may matter.
Bring source documents rather than conclusions
Collect reports, photographs, messages, policies, letters, bills, treatment records, wage records, contracts, and government forms. Keep originals and record where each document came from.
Ask for the rule and the reasoning
Ask which state law applies, what claim is being considered, which deadline and fault rule may govern, what exceptions were checked, and which facts could change the answer.
Clarify representation and costs
Ask who would handle the work, what is outside the engagement, how updates occur, how fees and expenses are calculated, and what happens if there is no recovery. Obtain the terms in writing.