We certainly don’t parade around thinking we’re Santa Claus, but we do know a thing or two about what to do in certain situations. So, use this as a guide to help navigate the time period following a life-altering event such as an auto accident.
Alright, you’ve gotten into a car accident because the dope behind you was so busy texting that he couldn’t keep his attention on the road. While the first thing on your agenda may be to get out of your car and scream at the jerk behind you, restrain yourself. The first thing that you need to do is make sure that police are called to the scene so that they can produce an official police report of the incident. (Make sure to get a copy of this report, for it will be crucial later on). When speaking to the police, be honest. Stick to the facts of the case. Don’t exaggerate but don’t try to be a tough guy and act like everything’s fine. The same goes for your interactions with the other driver; don’t try to be the “bigger person” and tell them that everything is “okay.” If they did something wrong, they are at fault. While you may want to, don’t try to comfort them and tell the something like “it isn’t your fault.”
So once you’ve dealt with the logistics at the scene of the accident, get medical attention (if you need it). If you are experiencing pain, the best course of action is to go to the hospital in an ambulance. Trying to be “tough” and driving yourself to the hospital can result in an exacerbation of pre-existing damage from your body. You run the risk of really injuring yourself if you decide to drive on your own; EMTs are professionally trained to make sure that your body is handled in a medically sound fashion as to not increase any injuries that you have sustained in the accident. Make sure to follow-up with your physician and any medical specialists that may be appropriate following your visit at the hospital. Also, just like the official police report, make sure to keep copies of all of your medical records and bills. These will be incredibly important later on.
If you haven’t already, now would be the point in this journey to contact a personal injury attorney like one at our law office. We suggest that you hire a lawyer who concentrates 100% of the firms’ efforts on working on personal injury cases. Make sure to not dilly-dally about this; there is only a certain amount of time before which you can’t file a lawsuit regarding your auto accident. This time period is referred to as a statute of limitations, and if you don’t meet it, you’re out of luck.
So, why get an attorney? While the in and outs of this process might be a foreign language to you, it’s engrained in our brains from having experience in the field. Supply us with the police report and medical records that you so diligently kept – this will expedite the process of getting your case resolved.
Now that you’ve got an attorney, you’ll know not to speak to any insurance companies (or the at-fault driver). They may want to talk you into signing a document that would settle your claim for less than you actually deserve. Our job is to get you the most that we can and their job is to give you as little as possible. Trust us; we’re on your side.
Stay patient. The process of making sure that you receive compensation for your losses can be a long and strenuous, but it can absolutely be worth it. The “quick fix” is usually the least-worthwhile one, especially in this legal field of personal injury law. These cases take time. Rest assured, though, the time is not wasted – attorneys like us work daily to procure the settlement that you deserve.
For more information and guidance, at no cost to you, please contact the Law Offices of Aronberg & Aronberg at 561-266-9191 or email us at daronberg@build.simple.biz.
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