I’ve Been Seriously Injured In An Auto Accident, And Believe I Have A Case Against The At-Fault Party. What Are The First Steps I Need To Take To Give My Personal Injury Case The Best Possible Outcome?

An important step for you is to address your injuries. If you need medical assistance, you should seek it immediately. Even if you think your injuries are minor, you should see a doctor to obtain confirmation that you are okay. There are clients who, at first, believe that their injuries are minor, but upon visiting the emergency room, discover they have serious injuries. A car accident will make our adrenaline spike, which sometimes masks the pain from injuries. Seeking medical care right away can reduce the chance of accidentally ignoring potentially serious injuries.

Another thing I always encourage is to notify your own insurance company of the accident. Even if they do not end up getting involved in the claim, by notifying them, you will meet your obligations under your insurance policy to notify them of an incident, which is required in most policies.

Obtaining a consultation from a personal injury lawyer is another important step. Almost all personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so there is no fee to speak to them. By discussing your situation with a lawyer, you can obtain helpful advice and a clear idea of what you’ll need to do to proceed with your claim.

One tip I give most clients is not to give any statements to the other insurance companies, especially without speaking to a lawyer first. If there was a police report taken at the scene, the other insurance companies will have access to it, and do not need to take a separate statement from you.

Keep in mind that you cannot rely fully on the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Their obligation is to their insured, not to you. Their job is to pay the claim, not to protect you. You should not rely on statements from the at-fault party or their insurance, such as promises to pay your bills. Sometimes, you will need to pay your bills until you receive compensation from the other insurance company. You do not want to accidentally have your accounts enter collection because of your misunderstanding of the process. Speak to an attorney to understand the process that applies to your particular situation.

Once I Hire An Experienced Attorney To Handle My Serious Injury Case, What Information Is Critical To Share With Them Right From The Start?

What I encourage my clients to share with me is precisely what’s going on with them medically. I am, at the early stages of the case, monitoring what has happened medically. For instance, because of these issues with medical bills, I want to know if anybody is bothering you about medical bills. Are the medical bills going to the correct insurer to be paid? If a medical provider does not want to wait until the case is settled to get paid, then that bill’s going to have to be paid by someone other than the other driver’s insurance. That does not, in any way, penalize the victim, but it is something that has to be done, because we can’t expect these medical providers to wait. I will review the status of your medical treatment, including bills, the kind of treatment you have received, and more.

It is essential that your attorney knows all of the treatment you are receiving. For instance, if a client is seeing their primary care physician, and they are referred out to perform X-rays or MRIs, your attorney needs to know. By being involved in your medical treatment, we can prevent any problems with the billing, and we can assist you to ensure you are receiving all the care you need.

By avoiding any billing issues, we can ensure that you have continuous and proper care. If there is a gap in your treatment, it will be detrimental to your case. By keeping your attorney informed, we can work with your providers to ensure there are no reasons for gaps in treatment.

Another very important thing is evidence. It is very important to obtain as much evidence as possible. Share all your photos, videos, and any other documents relating to the accident with your attorney. For example, if you are injured on someone’s property, but don’t share information about a hazardous condition with us until 8 months later, it is very unlikely that we will have the opportunity to go to the scene of the accident to obtain pictures of the hazardous condition, as the owner will have likely removed it by then. If you inform us right away, our chances of obtaining proof of liability are much higher.

If you have an accident, try to obtain as much evidence as possible. Take photos, videos, and get the contact information of any witnesses that are willing to give a statement.

I believe very strongly that, in cases with pre-existing injuries, you need to get the help of a lawyer.

For more information on Auto Accidents, a free no obligation consultation is your next best step.

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