Being in a car accident can be a frightening experience. However, it is important for you to take certain steps to make sure your rights are protected. Insurance companies are businesses. They have to answer to shareholders about how much money they make every year. One of the ways they please the shareholders is to keep the payouts low on accident claims. It is for this reason that the insurance companies will do everything in their power to minimize the value of your personal injury claim. Our Orlando car accident attorneys will fight the insurance companies to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve. Click here for our free Orlando car accident attorney WEB CASE EVALUATION form.
Contact an Orlando car accident lawyer now by calling (407) 423-1313.
However, there are a number of things that usually occur before a person injured in a car accident ever sees an attorney. A lot of these steps are orchestrated by an insurance company. The insurance company has the advantage in the beginning since it is usually one of the first to learn about the car accident. They will immediately go to work to minimize the value of your claim by putting adjusters and investigators on the claim. They will try to get you to give an oral statement to them and they will even try to have you sign medical releases so they can obtain your protected medical information. Some will even go so far as to offer you cash money either at the scene of the accident or shortly after the accident happens in exchange for you signing a paper releasing them from any further responsibility for your injuries or damages. You should never do this without consulting a car accident attorney. Free Orlando car accident attorney WEB CASE EVALUATION form.
So what should you do if you are involved in an accident? Here are a few suggestions to help you protect your rights. Of course, you should consult with an attorney who concentrates in car accident personal injury claims to advise you on the best course of action for you to take. Our Orlando car accident attorneys have experience in handling car accident cases in the Orlando and Central Florida area and invite you to arrange a free consultation with our Orlando car accident attorneys to discuss your car accident injury claim by calling (407) 423-1313 or completing our free Orlando car accident attorney WEB CASE EVALUATION form.
- Contact The Police. Do not let the party who caused the car accident talk you out of calling the police. Most insurance policies require that you obtain a police report documenting the accident. You may risk having your insurance company refuse to cover your claim by failing to call the police and obtain a report. The police report will also document who was at fault, what the general facts of the accident and who the various persons involved in the accident are. It will also provide insurance information for all the vehicles involved in the accident and can also provide the names and address of witnesses to the car accident.
- Do Not Refuse Treatment. If you have been injured in a car accident, do not refuse medical attention at the scene. Let the medical personnel who respond to the car accident examine you there at the scene of the car accident. Tell them how you are feeling. Try to describe each area of your body where you feel pain or other symptoms such as disorientation, nausea, headache, neck and back pain, numbness and tingling in your arms or legs or something else. It is important to have your injuries documented. Sometimes people are shaken up by the car accident and don’t realize that they are injured right away. Do not feel rushed or forced into saying that you feel all right. You do not have to go to the hospital but do let the medical personnel examine you and document your injuries.
- See A Doctor Soon. If you do not go to the hospital in the ambulance, it is important, if not critical, for you to follow-up with a medical provider as soon as possible if you are still in pain and experiencing discomfort. Once again, this is necessary to document your injuries. Documentation of your injuries by a medical provider is a key element in protecting your rights. Insurance companies love to argue that the person could not have been hurt in the car accident because they did not go to the hospital or doctor for days afterwards.
- Take Pictures of Your Car. Take photos of the damage to your car as soon as possible and before any repairs are started. If you have a camera in your car or if your phone takes good quality pictures (such as with an iPhone), take pictures of the scene of the accident while the vehicles involved in the accident are there in their damaged condition. It is also to take as many photos of your car as possible before any repairs are completed. Take at least one picture of each side of your vehicle (including front and back) so that you can see the entire side of the vehicle in the picture.
- Get A Property Damage Estimate From Independent Shop. Have an estimate of the cost of repairing the property damage to your car prepared by an independent body shop. Even If you don’t see a lot of exterior damage, there may be significant hidden damage that only a trained repair shop can detect. Often times a scratched or dented bumper can still have significant frame damage that will go undetected if an inspection and repair is not done. Do not rely on the adjuster from the insurance company to provide an accurate estimate. They will only eye-ball the car and write a report based on a cursory visual inspection. If you leave it go at that, the insurance company will argue that the lack of visual property damage means you could not have been hurt. Do not fall into that trap. Of course, if any estimates are prepared, make sure to retain copies for your records.
- Call Your Insurance Company Only. You must notify your insurance company of the car accident. You must cooperate, within reason, with your own insurance company to assist them in the investigation of the automobile accident. On the other hand, you may receive a phone call from or be contacted by an adjuster or investigator who works for the insurance company of the person that caused the car accident. You are not obligated or required by law to provide them with any type of statement, recorded or otherwise. You are not obligated or required by law to sign any paperwork for them. You are not required to discuss the case with them at all at any time. Giving a statement or signing some paperwork may give the insurance company information they can use against you later and it may give them access to your personal information they are not otherwise entitled to obtain, such as medical records.
- Consult With An Attorney. It is always a good idea to have a consultation with a car accident attorney if you have been injured in a car accident. Our Orlando car accident attorneys will provide you a free consultation and advise you of your rights with no obligation. If you would like to speak to one of our Orlando car accident attorneys, call us at (407) 423-1313 or fill out our free Orlando accident attorney WEB CASE EVALUATION form.