10 THINGS TO DO AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT
1. Assist those injured at the scene. If you have a phone call 911. Make the injured person as comfortable as possible and don’t move them unless necessary.
2. Call the police and insist on a police investigation. In many instances there are no witnesses and a police investigation assures stories don’t change.
3. In the past we would tell our clients, don’t move your car while waiting on the police and ask the other driver not to move his or her car. Due to congestion in the Puget Sound this is no longer a viable option since the authorities asked people to move their cars to the side of the road to minimize the impact on traffic. Today, most individuals have cell phones with cameras. Take advantage of technology and take some quick pictures (only if it is safe) and then move the cars.
4. Get the names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of eyewitnesses before they leave.
5. If you are injured, tell the police officer because the first record of your injury will be the police report.
6. If you are injured, make sure you get medical treatment. Go to the nearest hospital emergency room or to your personal doctor. An untreated injury can get much worse and the failure to get treatment will cause insurance adjusters to get suspicious.
7. Report your accident and injury to your insurance company.
8. Do not give a statement to the insurance company for the other driver. Their interests are adverse to yours. You may hurt your claim without even knowing it.
9. Don’t sign any releases until you have had a chance to talk to a lawyer to make sure you know exactly what you are releasing.
10. Remember the time for making a claim is limited by law.
Nothing in this Blog should be considered legal advice or to form an attorney client relationship. The postings made are general in nature and nothing can substitute for the legal advice of a seasoned legal professional that is tailored to the facts of your case.
2. Call the police and insist on a police investigation. In many instances there are no witnesses and a police investigation assures stories don’t change.
3. In the past we would tell our clients, don’t move your car while waiting on the police and ask the other driver not to move his or her car. Due to congestion in the Puget Sound this is no longer a viable option since the authorities asked people to move their cars to the side of the road to minimize the impact on traffic. Today, most individuals have cell phones with cameras. Take advantage of technology and take some quick pictures (only if it is safe) and then move the cars.
4. Get the names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses of eyewitnesses before they leave.
5. If you are injured, tell the police officer because the first record of your injury will be the police report.
6. If you are injured, make sure you get medical treatment. Go to the nearest hospital emergency room or to your personal doctor. An untreated injury can get much worse and the failure to get treatment will cause insurance adjusters to get suspicious.
7. Report your accident and injury to your insurance company.
8. Do not give a statement to the insurance company for the other driver. Their interests are adverse to yours. You may hurt your claim without even knowing it.
9. Don’t sign any releases until you have had a chance to talk to a lawyer to make sure you know exactly what you are releasing.
10. Remember the time for making a claim is limited by law.
Nothing in this Blog should be considered legal advice or to form an attorney client relationship. The postings made are general in nature and nothing can substitute for the legal advice of a seasoned legal professional that is tailored to the facts of your case.
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1 comment:
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While researching an attorney for my specific situation, I became very overwhelmed with the choices available. I wanted to be sure that I was selecting the best attorney, and so many factors come into play - reputation, cost, location, personality, etc. Since you will likely need to interact with your attorney a great deal, it is always a good idea to talk to some people who have used the specific attorney or firm that you are thinking about retaining before making a decision.
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After choosing an attorney, request a written estimate of all costs involved in the process. For example, will you be paying the attorney an hourly fee? Are paralegal fees involved (which are often much less expensive than attorney fees), will you pay a lump sum for the services?, etc. Many attorney's will offer to set up affordable payment plans if you are not able to pay for all services up front. The important thing is to get this agreement in writing however.
Find out what exactly is involved in the process of your case, and get estimates of timelines. Often, cases can drag on for months or even years depending on what is involved. Many times, court dates need to be set, government agencies need to be involved, etc. It is important to get a realistic timeline of each event so that you are aware of what is involved. Also, ask about support staff so that you know who to contact if you have questions about your case.
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