Our Nationwide Personal Injury Lawyers Share the Steps You Should Take After You’ve Been Hurt in Car Accident
Being involved in a car accident is undeniably stressful, but the steps you take in those first moments and days following the crash can make all the difference when it comes to protecting both your health and your financial future.
At Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group, we provide skilled legal representation for those who’ve been injured due to another driver’s negligence. If you’ve recently been hurt in a car accident that was not your fault, we encourage you to review this informative guide before contacting our office to schedule a consultation.
Make Sure You Seek Appropriate Medical Care
You should not “play” doctor after something as traumatic as an automobile accident. Even if you believe your injuries are minor, you may begin to experience new or worsening symptoms in the days following the accident. From internal bleeding and orthopedic injuries, life-threatening complications may not fully manifest until later.
In the days and weeks following the accident, you must keep all doctor’s appointments until you have been released from care. When a person involved in a crash waits to seek treatment or fails to show up for all doctor’s appointments, the lack of a consistent and detailed treatment history provides little to no evidence to support the injury claim.
Be Cautious When Speaking to the Insurance Company
You should notify your insurance company of the car accident as soon as possible. Be sure to tell the claims adjuster whether anyone was injured in the accident, regardless of the severity of the injuries.
It is important you do not discuss fault or how it happened, even if you believe you may have caused the accident. While it may feel like the “right” thing to do at the time, admitting fault at this early stage can significantly impact your case. Courts or insurance companies will determine who is at fault and you should let others make those determinations.
Do not speak to the other party’s insurance company without legal representation as insurance companies often seek to re-apportion fault to multiple parties. Your attorney will speak on your behalf and serve as your legal advocate.
Gather Evidence to Support Your Claim
The best course of action after any car accident is to collect as much evidence as possible so that you can get a complete picture of your options. This includes:
Your own account of the accident
Details from the scene can be critical in determining whether you are eligible for a settlement. Photos or video from the accident scene capturing the positions of the vehicles and any evidence of tire tread marks, broken glass, deployed airbags, etc., are ideal. However, you may not have been able to obtain this evidence if you were seriously injured. Instead, you’ll want to write down as much as you remember about the accident and the circumstances that led to the crash so your attorney can conduct a thorough investigation.
Receipts
Medical bills, car repair estimates, and other receipts should be kept as evidence for your attorney to present to insurance companies, other attorneys, or the courtroom. You’ll need proper documentation of your accident-related expenses to ensure you receive full compensation.
Medical records
Your medical records establish that your injuries were the direct result of the accident and that you’ve taken all reasonable steps to aid in your recovery.
The accident crash report
The police officer who investigated the accident will complete a crash report, which will include the information you need to process your insurance claim. While these reports are often available for pickup from local law enforcement agencies within 7-10 days of the date of the crash, most completed reports can also be purchased online via your state’s Department of Transportation website.
Contact an Experienced Texas Car Accident Lawyer
Insurance companies make money by denying or underpaying claims. After the accident, the at-fault driver’s insurance company will likely try to rush you to settle your claim. They may even try to convince you the accident was partially your fault. You need an experienced personal injury lawyer to protect your rights throughout the process of settling your claim.
When you work with Dortch Lindstrom Livingston Law Group, our skilled legal team will thoroughly investigate the accident, gather evidence to support your claim, and deal directly with the insurance companies on your behalf. We understand the tactics insurers use to avoid paying out claims and will fight to ensure you receive full and fair compensation for all damages you have suffered. This includes compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and any long-term disabilities resulting from the accident.
