Lesson 17- Collecting and Organizing the "Vitals"
Collecting and Organizing the “Vitals”
In the Vitals section of this Course, you will see a list of information concerning the
Applicant and their case that you will want to collect.
It is suggested that you use the Vitals’ list to
create a template that you can use to collect the information. This “Case” template can be on paper
or it can be a digital input tool that can be as simple as a fill-in-the blank document program.
No matter the form it takes, it is highly
recommended that you create such a template for three reasons:
- As a Checklist – As you talk to the prospective Applicant, you will need to know
that you are asking all of the pertinent questions (that’s why they are called “vitals”) that will enable them to
apply for an advance and that will pique the advance company’s interest in the case. And, you do not want to have to go
back to that person later and ask what might be a very obvious question that you forgot. That might prove embarrassing (to you.)
- As a Collection Aid – A template is not made to use once, but is created to be
used multiple times – either as a copied form in a paper version or as a digital entry document that can have new information
entered again and again. Whichever way that you choose, you will find that the template method is the most convenient way to
collect and enter the information that is vital to the injured party’s potential advance payment request.
- As a Case Conduit (to the advance company) – Nobody wants to receive a sloppy, unorganized collection of case information. You
wouldn’t want to try and decipher such a mess, so why would anyone working at an advance company want to try
deciphering someone’s random notes.
A good template that has typed subject points (if this is confusing, don’t worry, all of this is
discussed in detail in the “Vitals” section) and typed information entries will help speed up the whole process. And
“typed” can’t be stressed enough because, while a handwritten report on a case
doesn’t kill the Applicant’s chances, it does present a negative impression for both the case and your work
efforts.
And you and your Applicant will want to start off the advance company review process with a
professional work product.