When you are involved in a car accident in California, one of the first things you should do is consult with an experienced personal injury firm. You might be nervous about moving forward with an accident claim, especially if you have previous injuries or accidents.

Even if you are concerned about how previous injuries or accidents could influence your current case, you should be upfront about these details with your attorney. Your lawyer can delve more into this issue, but honesty is key here.

A personal injury lawyer will likely take down key information about you and your case in his or her office with the goal of learning as much as possible about you. This is so that the attorney can evaluate whether or not there is a legal basis for the claim and to prepare you for the steps ahead.

Remember that the other party involved in the accident in his or her insurance company will likely be seeking this same amount of information as well. It can be a mistake to fail to disclose information or to lie about information on any official forums after your car accident. This includes statements made to your insurance company as well as statements in depositions or any other court related hearing. If a car accident triggered a previous injury or aggravated a pre-existing medical condition, you should never try to hide this from your attorney, the insurance company or the doctor. An old injury does not bar you from receiving compensation, but withholding information could.  Set up a meeting with your lawyer to walk through your entire case before initiating a claim.