Don’t Attempt to Handle Your Car Accident Claim Without an Attorney
If you contact the insurance company for the adverse vehicle in your car accident case, or they contact you, attempting to settle your case without the help of a personal injury lawyer, you are playing with fire. Rest assured, insurance companies have dedicated claims representatives who are skilled at their craft and know that you are not skilled at settling a claim for its maximum value. Therefore, they will low-ball you with an offer of “quick money” to immediately settle before you contact a lawyer. They will have you sign a General Release and once you do, its over. Yes, you need an attorney to handle your personal injury case after an accident.
If you sustained injuries in a New York City accident or lost a loved one in a car accident, then it’s in your best interest to contact an attorney who can guide you through the claims process and initiate a personal injury lawsuit, if necessary. Insurance companies care deeply about their bottom line and will go the extra mile to avoid paying the fair vales of claims, even to their own policyholders. Adjusters may even try to befriend you and use any other tactic they can to make you think your case is not worth as much as it really is.
Tips for Getting the Best Outcome in Your Car Accident Case
Everything you do, or don’t do, in the seconds, minutes, and days following your car accident can affect the outcome of your claim for damages. Each accident differs in type and severity. In severe accidents where rescue teams pull you from your vehicle and transport you to the closest emergency room by ambulance, you won’t be able to do much to help yourself out until you are released from the hospital or at least conscious. The following advice assumes that you are able to physically move after a crash.
Although an experienced attorney will gather some of the following information for you, or seek an investigator and/or expert to help, you should do as much as you can do to help your case. The following will be valuable:
- Seek medical treatment as soon as possible. It’s not uncommon for accident victims to feel okay after a collision and after the initial shock of the crash dissipates. The adrenaline from the accident blocks pain and some injuries simply do not show symptoms for hours or days. Yet, prevailing in your car accident claim requires proving the injuries you claim are a result of the accident. For your own health and for the benefit of your case, go to a physician as soon after the accident as possible.
- Get a Police Accident Report. When accidents occur, emergency personnel and officers will try to get to the scene as soon as possible. However, sometimes the police are busy and can’t immediately get to the scene of the accident. In any event, it’s best to wait for police to arrive so that they can create a police accident report. The police will take the statements of each person involved and generate a report.
- Take pictures at the scene. Use your cell phone to take video or pictures at the scene of the crash. Take shots of the property damage to vehicles, any visible hazards, license plates, any visible injuries, and anything else which might help your case later.
If you are involved in an accident contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Michael J. Redenburg, Esq. PC by dialing 212-240-9465.