If you've been in a
motor vehicle crash, there are a few very important things to
remember, no matter who you retain as your lawyer.
Write them down or print this page!
To-Do Number 1.
REMEMBER WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE. The insurance companies are not
working FOR you. They are working AGAINST you. This means
that anything you say to anyone may wind up costing you.
Don't make any kind of a statement (especially a recorded
statement) until after you have consulted a lawyer.
To-Do Number 2.
TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR BODY. The bruises from the steering
wheel and the shoulder harness will be gone in a few weeks. So
will the burns from the airbag. You will forget how bad they
were, and the insurance company will try to minimize them in front of
the jury. The ONLY way to have an accurate record is to get
pictures now. Lots of pictures. From every
angle. In sunlight and artificial light. Then get the film
to your lawyer right away.
To-Do Number 3.
TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR CAR. If it is a total loss, then it
will be gone soon. If it's not totalled, it will be repaired.
You should take a full roll of film, making sure that you have
pictures from every angle, documenting how much damage was done
by the impact. (After all, if the impact can bend steel,
imagine what it can do to flesh and bone.)
To-Do Number 4.
GET NAMES, ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS of everyone who saw the accident
or was present in your car. Get them to write out a short
narrative, including what everyone said after the accident.
You will be amazed how quickly memories fade.
To-Do Number 5.
WRITE OUT YOUR OWN NARRATIVE about the accident, but give it to NO ONE
but your lawyer. Be sure to include all of your injuries.
You will probably become progressively more sore for a period of three
to five days after the crash. This is the normal way that your
body will react to the traumatic insult of a motor vehicle crash.
To-Do Number 6.
CONTACT AN EXPERIENCED INJURY LAWYER RIGHT AWAY. Over the
years, it has not been unusual for insurance companies to offer
settlement checks within a day after the accident. This is long
before you will even know how badly you are hurt. It often takes
up to two months before certain very serious injuries can even be
diagnosed. If you have taken the insurance company's check
for $2,000 on the second day after the accident, you can NEVER GO BACK
to get more compensation, even if you find out that your injuries are
permanent and disabling.
The first few days after your accident may determine the outcome of
your claim. Speak to a lawyer as soon as you can. At the
Hudson Law Office, we have been helping individuals to get justice for a
quarter of a century. Let us help you. Contact
us by confidential email or at (941)
358-5400. You will never pay a penny out of your pocket for
aggressive and tough representation against the insurance company's
professionals. You are invited to call for a free consultation.
We hope to hear from you.
