10 Steps to Take After a Car Accident
Dallas Car Crash Injury Lawyer
The steps you take immediately after a car accident are critical to safeguarding your health and protecting ability to recover money damages if your accident was caused by another person's negligent or reckless behavior.
Contact the Dallas law office of Crain ◊ Lewis, LLP to speak to an injury attorney. We can help you protect your rights and ensure you have the best possible case if you have a personal injury claim. We invite you to review the results we've obtained for past clients.
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Document Your Injuries
1. Your health is #1. See a doctor. Immediate after a car accident, your adrenaline is flowing and you feel a heightened sense of energy. But that does not mean you are uninjured. It’s important to monitor your health in the days following the accident. Some injuries— like soft tissue injuries — worsen over time.
2. If you are injured, see a medical provider shortly after the accident. Seek medical attention from a doctor, a chiropractor or even a nurse practitioner at your clinic. If too much time goes by between the time of the accident and the time you report an injury to the insurance company, the insurance company will likely say it is unrelated and will deny your claim for compensation.
3. Keep track of your expenses. There are many kinds of expenses associated with a car accident injury, especially a serious accident that keeps you off the job for any length of time. Keep track of your medical bills, cost of medicine, copayments, parking expenses, mileage. All of these are reimbursable.
Dealing with Insurance Companies
4. If you don't have health insurance —many people who have no health think they can’t see a doctor. That is not the case! If you have Personal Injury Protection coverage (PIP) on your car insurance, PIP will pay for you to see a doctor, as well as for medical expenses and some of your lost wages.
5. If you do have health insurance, your health insurance company will cover your medical expenses. Later on, if you receive compensation through a personal injury claim, your insurance company will ask for a share of the compensation you receive.
6. Don't sign any papers or give any recorded statements until you've talked with a lawyer.
7. Take names. When possible, get the names of witnesses at the scene of the accident.
8. Gather and preserve evidence. It's very helpful to take photographs at the scene of the accident as soon as possible. Evidence disappears, roadways get cleaned up, and debris is removed. Even cars, trucks and motorcycles disappear at the junkyard. If a defective car part played a role in the accident, an investigator will need to examine the vehicle.
8. Get a lawyer on your case as soon as possible!
As your lawyer, we will advise you and represent your interests in every step of the process:
- We will ensure that the evidence is saved so it can be reviewed by accident reconstruction experts later on. We'll see that the auto is put in storage until it's examined.
- We will negotiate with your insurance and medical providers to minimize the money you may have to pay out for liens that have been filed against you for repayment of expenses.
- And we will protect your interests in negotiations and in court.
Contact our Dallas offices to schedule a free consultation.
- See our information center: Car Accidents to learn more.
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