|
It is usually a
misconception that victims of automobile accidents
do not need attorneys. Until the victim of an
automobile accident retains an attorney, the
insurance company knows that the person they are
dealing with is not currently prepared to take his
or her case to court and is unlikely to offer fair
and reasonable compensation.
We have represented a
large number of automobile accident victims. We take
great pride in limiting our representation to
plaintiffs and in representing no insurance
companies involved in these claims. We are committed
to treating each case, large or small, with the
seriousness it deserves in order to assure that each
of our clients receives the compensation that he or
she deserves.
Please do not handle your own case
and when things do not work out the way you intended
them to work out, call us. You may have caused too
much damage to your own case. Our best results are
when we handle a case from the very beginning to
make sure everything is coordinated together and the
appropriate evidence is obtained. Never wait to get
your attorney or lawyer involved right before the
statute of limitations. You will find most
attorneys will not accept a case close to the
statute of limitations.
Ten steps
to follow after an automobile collision:
-
Keep calm, stop to
protect your passengers and car. Call an
ambulance for any injured party, if required.
Set flares if you carry them, and do not leave
the scene of the accident. Call the police to
report the accident.
-
Do not discuss the
accident with anyone or blame anyone, including
yourself. Exchange only licenses,
registrations, and motor vehicle identification
cards.
-
Give only your
name, address, license number, license plate
number, name of registered owner of the car and
your insurance company. Show your driver's
license to the other party.
-
Take down the
name, address, operators license number, date of
birth, sex, state of license and the phone
number of the other driver.
-
Write down the
name, address and the insurance company of the
owner of the other car involved. The driver may
not be the owner of the car.
-
Seek information
from police for all injured parties involved
including passengers. Take down the names,
addresses, dates of birth, sex, and extent of
injury.
-
Be sure to write
down the names, addresses, and phone numbers of
any people who saw the accident but were not
involved in it. Passengers in the accident are
not the best witnesses.
-
Note the make,
body type, year and license number of the other
vehicle. Also make note of the damage to the
other vehicle.
-
Note below the
date & time of the accident. Write down the
location (street intersection or landmark).
-
Report accident to
your insurance agent immediately. If the
accident involves death or injury, report it
without delay to the police department. Obtain a
copy of their report within 24 hours if possible
(If a fatality is involved, it will normally
take longer).
Auto
or Car accidents are accountable for untold numbers
of personal injuries and wrongful death every year
in this country. You are more likely to be involved
in a serious automobile accident than you are to die
of heart disease. Some astonishing facts based on a
2001 study performed by the National Safety Council
are that:
-
There is a death caused by
a motor vehicle crash every 12 minutes; there is
a disabling injury every 14 seconds.
-
Motor vehicle crashes are
the leading cause of death for people ages 1 to
33.
-
The age groups most
affected by motor vehicle crashes are 15-24 and
75+.
-
There were an estimated
5,800 pedestrian deaths and 90,000 injuries.
-
Walking in the roadway
accounted for only 9% of all pedestrian deaths
and injuries.
-
About 3 in every 10
Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related
traffic accident at some time in their lives.
-
Bicycling resulted in about
800 deaths in collisions with motor vehicles.
If you
or a loved one is involved in an auto accident or
car wreck remember some simple do’s and don’t:
DON'T
-
Don't admit fault
-
Don't give a statement to
anyone other than the police
-
Don't give information
other than your Driver License and Insurance
Company
DO
-
Do call the police and stay
calm
-
Do call for medical
assistance
-
Do get other driver's
Driver License information and Insurance Company
-
Do get witness names &
phone numbers
-
Once you get home, call us
for what next to do to best protect your rights.
In
an auto accident, often the occupants receive
injuries from not only the primary impact of the
other car, but also from the secondary impact within
one's own vehicle. An experienced auto accident
attorney will not only assist you in filing an auto
accident claim with your own insurance company, but
will also file an auto accident lawsuit if necessary
to protect your legal rights. An auto accident
lawsuit and claim for damages(money) in filed or
pursued against all available entities to ensure
that you receive maximum damages both for your
injuries and any other losses which can include:
-
Pain and Suffering;
-
Compensation for mental anguish;
-
Loss of past and future income;
-
Medical expenses for the past and for the future;
-
Loss of the enjoyment of life;
-
Disfigurement;
-
Impairment;
-
Funeral Expenses (if applicable)
-
Punitive / Exemplary Damages
|
