Car Accidents
NO FEES unless I recover money for you.
What should I do if I’m in a car accident?
Every accident is different, so what you should do depends on how the accident happened, who caused the accident and how badly you are injured. Here are some steps to consider.
1. Going to a doctor
If you need emergency medical care, call 911. But what if you feel just a little “shook up”? Going to a doctor will help you know the extent of your injuries. Toughing it out won’t help you. Insurance companies will try to blame your injuries on anything other than the accident so they don’t have to pay for it. The sooner you go to the doctor to determine your injuries, the easier it is to prove that the accident caused them.
2. Calling the police
Victims are sometimes hesitant to call the police, especially for a “minor” accident. But calling the police may help prove your case. Believe it or not, the other driver may not think the accident was his fault. The responding officer is an independent witness of the aftermath of the accident. The officer typically prepares a report and determines which driver was at fault for the accident. That report is vital evidence for proving that the other driver – not you – caused the accident.
3. Taking lots of pictures
A picture is worth 1,000 words. You can spend 30 minutes explaining how traumatic the accident was and how your car was totaled; or you could just show one picture of your mangled car. A picture of the accident scene is powerful evidence of how bad the accident was.
4. Calling an attorney.
Talking to an insurance company before talking to an attorney is a bad idea. Getting money from an insurance company can be a complex, difficult process. Insurance companies maximize their profits by paying as little as possible. Why make their job easier by giving them a recorded statement or sharing information that you don’t have to share? An experienced personal injury attorney who knows how to deal with the insurance company to ensure that you are justly compensated for your injuries.
5. Avoiding social media.
Social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) is a great way to notify all of your friends and family that you were in an accident and describe what happened. It’s also a great way to create evidence that an insurance company can use against you. In personal injury lawsuits, insurance companies routinely demand that victims produce their entire Facebook wall or Instagram feed to the insurance company to review. Sometimes, a court will order the victim to provide access to some, or all, of the victim’s social media. Anything that you have posted about the accident – whether pictures, comments or emojis – can be used as evidence against you.