Car accident? Read this

HELPFUL INFORMATION REGARDING AN ACCIDENT CASE The following information is not intended to be legal advice. These points are merely possibilities for you to consider. If you wish a professional opinion of the legal matters that might arise from an accident, consult an attorney. TALK TO NO ONE Do not talk to anyone about your accident except any doctors of chiropractic or medical doctors you’ve consulted about your injuries, your attorney or his/her investigators. You should always require identification before speaking to anyone about your case. Your attorney may not want you to even speak with your own insurance company or any lawyers or investigators hired by them unless you have discussed it with your own attorney first. Don’t allow anyone to tape record anything you say without your attorney’s permission. TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS Save the negatives and prints of any photographs which have been taken pertaining to your case. You should photograph, in color, any bruises, cuts or other physical evidence as soon as possible so that the full extent of your injuries can be visually preserved. After taking any pictures, be sure to have them developed immediately; if the results are poor, you can take additional pictures before the damage heals. CAR REPAIR Do not have your automobile repaired until you have taken pictures. Pictures taken by an insurance company will not be released to you. You must take your own. Pictures are necessary in order to better estimate the impact of the collision. After pictures have been taken, you may have your collision insurance carrier repair your car. YOUR DOCTOR OF CHIROPRACTIC OR MEDICAL DOCTOR Return to your medical doctor or doctor of chiropractic as often as recommended and always tell him or her about all your complaints. Disclose all symptoms and problems and do not minimize your ailments, since they will affect your medical or chiropractic evaluation and treatments. HEALTH INSURANCE Immediately review both your health insurance and your automobile insurance policies. Submit all medical, chiropractic or hospital bills to the appropriate insurance carrier for immediate payment. If you do not have adequate insurance coverage, retaining an attorney may allow you to receive the treatment you need without immediate payment. Your medical doctor or doctor of chiropractic may accept a lien whereby his or her charges are paid by your attorney out of any amounts received from your claim. SAVE ALL PHYSICAL EVIDENCE If your injuries require a cast, brace, traction or other appliance, save it. It is evidence that may be important to your case. Further, take photographs when you are in the cast or brace for evidence. SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS Keep all documents, receipts or other items relating in any way to your case. You can always discard something at a later date, but it may be impossible to get a duplicate copy of something discarded. Keep duplicate copies of all medical, chiropractic, hospital and drug bills. Also, keep records of any other expenses you may have in connection with your accident, such as the hiring of extra help and the cost incurred in going to your doctor. All your bills should be paid by check or you should obtain and keep receipts. KEEP A DIARY Explain how your life has changed as a result of the accident. Explain in your diary in detail how your injuries have affected your activities. Describe what things you were physically able to do before that you now have difficulty doing as a result of your injuries. Explain how your injuries have affected your marital and family relations, including any personality changes. Be specific in describing your limitations, ie, how high you can or cannot raise your arm. Describe your pain, both at the time of the accident and at all times afterward. For example, is it a shooting pain, throbbing pain, etc.? A good way to remember all your complaints is to start at your head and work your way down through all parts of your body to your toes. LOST WAGES AND EARNINGS Keep an accurate record of all days lost from work because of your injuries. If this injury has prevented you from advancement in your employment or from obtaining employment, know the names, addresses and telephone numbers of persons who can help validate this. TRAFFIC OFFENSES If you are arrested or ticketed in connection with an accident, call your lawyer for advise. In the event of a coroner’s inquest or other type of hearing, you should always consider retaining an attorney to represent and protect you. WITNESSES Obtain and save the correct names, addresses and telephone numbers of any and all witnesses. It is usually wisest not to contact a witness yourself. Instead, contact an attorney who can retain a professional investigator to do this. A professional investigator is trained to get important facts without alarming the witness. RETAINING AN ATTORNEY Retaining the services of an attorney for a claim arising from an automobile accident, slip and fall or other personal injury should be considered. An attorney who is experienced in this area of law knows how to deal with insurance companies, etc. It often requires an experienced attorney to handle the many aspects required to assure you receive fair compensation for your injuries. Since you should only be concerned with getting well at this critical time, legal representation will help ensure that evidence and important facts are preserved, which helps assure a fair settlement or trial judgement for you. We can recommend Attorneys who will work on your case with us.