Florida Car Accident Lawyer Blog
Each year, lives in South Florida are permanently changed because of car accidents. While most people don’t realize it, driving is one of the most dangerous things you do and the longer you drive the greater your risk of being in a serious crash, even if you’re a good driver.
If you’re in a car accident, there are some things you need to know. These simple facts can mean the difference between you getting the fair compensation you need to pay for lost income, medical bills, and property damage and not getting the financial recovery you need.
#1: You Can’t Assume Anything
What caused the accident? Who is at fault? How much are the losses worth? Avoid getting into a debate or discussion at the scene of the crash. The legal team at Flaxman Law Group works closely with investigators and accident reconstruction experts and we’ve seen again and again that even in cases where there seems to be an “obvious” accident cause the reality may be different.
You just can’t see how fatigued a driver is or how poorly designed car components are. Never assume you know what caused your crash, who the liable parties are, or how much your claim is worth. Leave these evaluations to an experienced car accident injury claims attorney.
#2: Documentation Is Crucial
There is no such thing as too much evidence. So if you are physically able to after your crash, keep documentation related to your collision, including any evidence. In a file folder or box, you might want to keep:
- Pictures of the crash, your car, your injuries, and the surrounding accident scene
- Insurance information from the other driver
- Contact information of possible witnesses
- Any details you can remember, written down or recorded with your phone’s voice recorder
- Any medical records related to your injury
- Any police records related to your crash
- The clothes you were wearing
- Any personal property damaged in the crash
- Any information from your doctor
- A list of doctor appointments and details of treatments
- Any medical devices or medication you have used for your injury
- Any receipts you have accumulated after your injury, for any products or services you need, even a taxi home from the hospital
- A list of the times and days you’ve missed at work
This information may be useful for your attorney and you’ll want to let your lawyer know what documentation you have
#3: Your Insurance Provider Isn’t On Your Side
Yes, individual insurance agents may be very kind. But the company’s main role is to make money for their shareholders, and they can do this by resolving claims for the minimum amount possible. Insurers are expected to act in good faith, but they do not work for you and do not have a duty to act in your best interests.
Because of all of this, you may want to speak with a personal injury attorney before speaking to your insurer. At the very least, have an experienced injury attorney review any offer an insurer makes. Your attorney does have a duty to act in your best interests and he or she can make sure the insurance company doesn’t try to get a statement from you that could hurt your case. Your attorney can also review any offers to make sure an insurer isn’t lowballing you.
Want to know the other three things you need to know after a car accident? Stay tuned to our blog for next week’s post. In the meantime, if you need to speak to an attorney after being injured in a car accident, you can always reach Flaxman Law Group to set up a free, no obligation case consultation.