Many people know that I practice estate planning (wills and trusts) but some don’t know that I also handle personal injury law. I used to be a lawyer for the insurance companies. Now I represent the victims of accidents. My personal injury website is www.ValenciaLawyer.com . If you’ve been involved in a car accident, here are the top five things you should do:
1. If your vehicle sustained damages, take many photos of the damage to your car and the other car. Many cell phones have cameras, or if you don’t have any kind of camera, have a friend or family member buy a cheap camera from a nearby store and take as many photos of the scene and the vehicles as you can.
2. If you have visible injuries, have a friend or family member take photos of those injuries as soon as possible.
3. Be civil at the scene of the accident. Things you say and do at the accident scene often come back to haunt you. Don’t apologize for the accident unless you are 100 percent sure you are at fault. An innocent apology can be mistaken for admission of fault.
4. The insurance company for the other party will likely want to take your statement by phone or otherwise. You are under no obligation to do so. In my experience, there is very little (or nothing) to be gained from giving a statement. At least talk to a lawyer first.
5. Finally, if you were injured in the accident (or even if you’re not sure!), by all means seek medical help (at least an exam) as soon as possible. Most people try to “tough it out” or “see how they feel” before deciding to see a doctor. One of the biggest reasons personal injury claims fail, or get short-changed, is because the individual waited too long before seeking medical attention. How long is too long? In my experience, insurance companies will give you a very hard time and discount (or even deny) any injury claim if you wait longer than one week. Remember your actions speak louder than words.
If you want an experienced lawyer to evaluate your personal injury case, please give me a call or visit my website at www.ValenciaLawyer.com.