When you’re involved in an accident, your first priority is your health. If you were injured in a car crash or another type of accident caused by someone’s negligence you should get immediate medical attention. However, once you’re out of the woods, you’ll be facing other problems, like medical bills. These can be huge if you’ve sustained serious injuries.
If you or a loved one were recently involved in a serious accident, you should start looking for a lawyer. (We might know some…) Many people ask “how soon I should hire an attorney after an accident?” There’s only one answer to this question – as soon as possible.
Why should you hire a lawyer as soon as possible after an accident?
Let’s say you were in a car crash. Your insurance policy probably says that you need to contact them immediately after an accident. Since you don’t want to get in trouble with them, you’ll probably do that, as indeed you should. But, and that’s a very big but, be very careful what you say during that call. The guy at the other end will certainly try to sound very sympathetic, but this might be a trap.
Insurance companies are for-profit companies and, as such, it is not in their best interests to pay large sums in damages. They will look for ways to minimize your claim. Whatever you say can and will be used against you, only they don’t warn you about that like they do in cop movies.
Anything you say to the insurance guy will be recorded and used against you when you file a claim.
This is why you should get an attorney as soon as possible. Most attorneys recommend that you keep that first call to the insurance company to a minimum. Just let them know where and when the accident happened and do not volunteer any other information.
After you receive treatment for your injuries and you’re able to focus on the financial implications, look up a good lawyer in your area and schedule a free consultation. (Again, we might know someone that can help…)
The same goes for other accidents caused by negligence, like slip and fall accidents or injuries caused by using a defective product you’ve just bought.
How can a lawyer help you with a car accident claim?
First of all, a well-versed lawyer knows the laws inside out and can immediately tell you what you need to do. If you were in a car accident, an attorney will tell you if you should seek compensation from your insurance or if you should file a claim with the other driver’s insurance.
If you’re to sit down with the insurance people, you need to know exactly how much your claim is worth. It is advisable to have your lawyer present when you start negotiating with your insurance company. They can throw tons of legal mumbo-jumbo at you to convince you that you’re maybe partly responsible for the accident, only to drive down the value of your claim.
Don’t fall for that! Get yourself a lawyer and let them present your claim and the full amount of compensation for the damages you’re seeking. It can be overwhelming to handle this all on your own. Focus on your health, and let us do the rest. Contact Willoughby Shulman today.