| AUTO COLLISIONS |
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Automobile collisions are a leading cause of injuries and deaths annually. In some cases, a person involved in a collision is unaware of an injury for several days or the injured person simply underestimates the severity of the injury. Unless there is clearly no property damage or bodily injury it is best to call 911 to report the collision and have the appropriate law enforcement agency investigate the collision. Documentation of the collision facts soon after the event will make it much more difficult for the negligent driver to avoid liability. Investigators can also help determine whether drugs or alcohol played a roll in the collision. A well documented investigation of the accident scene helps establish who was truly at fault. In the absence of an investigation by law enforcement, always obtain the negligent driver's name, contact information, the name of the Liability Company and Policy Number, the name of the owner of the other vehicle and a description of the negligent driver's vehicle including the tag number. Photographs taken at the scene of the exterior of the vehicle(s) and of any skid marks and other items help establish important collision facts. If applicable, photographs of the interior of your vehicle can document air bag deployment, breakage of your car seat and other damages giving further evidence of your injuries. When you suffer an injury, early diagnosis and appropriate medical treatment helps avoid longer treatment periods, helps increase the likelihood of a more successful recovery and helps decrease the risk of an undervaluation of your claim when it comes time to negotiate a settlement. You should always attend to any acute injury by having it immediately checked out at an emergency medical facility. All symptoms of any injury should be reported to your medical providers to help avoid any ambiguity about the cause of an injury, later on. Make sure the person taking your medical history is properly recording the details of your symptoms on your medical chart. If it's not in the medical records, it becomes quite difficult to prove you reported the symptom(s) later on, during negotiations. The omission of pertinent medical information from your ER visit is one of the major contributing factors causing cases to be undervalued by an adjustor and causing the case to more likely have to be litigated. Further, it is usually best to accept transportation via ambulance if it is offered. Hospital Emergency Rooms are required by law to evaluate and treat any emergency medical condition whether one has insurance or not. An ER visit can help establish the fact an injury occurred and appropriate assessment and testing can help rule out a very serious injury that otherwise may require immediate emergency procedures. Within a short time after a collision you may be contacted by the negligent driver's insurance company. Usually, it will be an adjuster calling who needs further information, wants to schedule a view of the damage to your vehicle (if applicable) and will probably want to take your recorded statement. It is very important that you consider consulting with an attorney before giving a recorded statement to an insurance adjustor. Most adjustors have been trained to document the facts most favorable to them and their insured and often omit asking questions where the answers might help document facts helpful to your claim. An experienced attorney who routinely handles collision cases can help you understand the process, will help resolve your property claim (usually at no cost to you), should help you to become better prepared to give an accurate and complete recorded statement, give you advise regarding any documents you are requested to sign, help encourage the prompt diagnosis and treatment of your injuries, and statically, more often negotiate a more favorable settlement for you. Also, an attorney who has handled your case from the beginning should be in a much better position to successfully litigate your case if that ever becomes necessary. If you are in a collision, call us for a free consultation - it may make a huge difference in your case. |