CAR ACCIDENTS: STEPS TO TAKE IMMEDIATELY AFTER AN ACCIDENT.
A car accident can be a shocking and unfortunate occurrence. Unfortunately, most people will be involved in a car accident as a driver or a passenger at some point in their lives. Following an accident, it is important to follow these steps to ensure that everyone involved is cared for and that your legal rights are safe guarded.
1. Seek Medical Care
Car accidents can cause minor to fatal injuries. Seeking medical care is the first step to take after a car accident. Severe injuries, such as broken bones or concussions require immediate medical attention. Often, the impact of the crash causes prolonged pain, neck stiffness, or headaches that do not surface days or sometimes weeks after the collision. It is important to determine your injuries in order to get treatment right away. Delaying medical treatment can only be harmful to your recovery and can also negatively impact any future injury case you may pursue.
If you do not have medical insurance, that should not stop you from seeking basic care. All hospitals can provide you with emergency care. You may even be entitled to thousands of dollars in medical payments under your own auto insurance policy called Med-Pay which is a no fault provision meaning your insurance rate does not get affected. Any future or prolonged care may be provided to you by a network of doctors who work together with an experienced attorney in furtherance of a lawsuit.
2. Consult an Attorney and Open a Claim
If you have been injured in an accident, you should next contact a qualified personal injury attorney. An experienced attorney, will properly evaluate your claim, establish a theory of liability, connect you with medical providers for care at no out of pocket cost to you, and open a claim with the insurance companies.
A qualified attorney will arrange for the medical treatment an injured party needs. An experienced personal injury attorney will have the resources to arrange for the medical care and physical therapy needed for recovery at no out of pocket cost to the client. Personal injury attorneys have a relationship with these medical care providers and can defer payment until after the case has been settled or a verdict is reached.
3. Opening a Claim
It’s best to let the attorneys representing you open an insurance claim. As a matter of policy, we advise clients of the Kitsinian Law Firm not to speak to any insurance company representative or to provide any statement about the accident to them. We represent our clients in all facets of the claim. We do this either with your own insurance, the other drivers insurance, or as is standard practice at our Firm, we open a claim with both insurance companies to allow for maximum coverage and financial flexibility to you. The insurance company will likely compensate you for personal injuries and property damage. Of course, the amount recovered depends on the experience of your attorneys and the strength of the claims submitted.
Often times, insurance companies will not adequately compensate you for your injuries or property damage. You will need experienced counsel to ensure your rights are protected. The attorneys at the Kitsinian Law Firm provide aggressive and effective representation and specialize in personal injury cases. We advance all costs associated with your case and offer no obligation consultations. Call (818) 471-4132 to speak with one of our experienced attorneys.