5 Important Steps To Take For Your Personal Injury Case
Hiring an Attorney for a personal injury after an accident can seem like a daunting task. However, in many cases, hiring an Experienced Attorney is essential to protecting your personal injury case from ruthless insurance companies. At the Essa, Janho & Associates, LLC, we know the proper precautions to take after you’ve been in an accident in or around Atlanta.
Wait for an Officer (DO NOT MOVE)
- Before moving your vehicle, make sure to take pictures of where it came to rest after the incident. The position of your car is crucial to determining who (or what) is at fault. Make sure to STOP and wait for authorities. DO NOT ADMIT FAULT to the officer who arrives at the scene of the incident. Often, the high stress and anxiety of an accident can cause you to misjudge the crash. Explain what occurred to the best of your knowledge, WITHOUT claiming you are the reason for the crash.
Bill Your Insurance
- If you are injured and have to go to the hospital, make sure they bill YOUR insurance (if you have health insurance). No matter what the hospital staff recommends, do not try to bill the other driver’s insurance. There is no guarantee that the other driver’s insurance will ever pay. If the insurance company or courts determine you are even remotely at fault, you are sabotaging any discount pricing your insurance may offer.
Call Your Insurance Company After an Accident
- Contact your own insurance company first! Avoiding the call or waiting for the other driver’s insurance to call them can violate your policy. If you do not, at least, contact them within 30 days of the accident, you are taking the risk of being denied any “uninsured or underinsured claim you make.” We understand the concern about a higher premium. However, failure to report the crash means giving up the ability to seek compensation or payment for any uninsured motorist coverage in your policy.
Take Documentation at the Crash
- Take plenty of photos and videos at the scene of the accident. You will want to take pictures of the damage, weather, location of the vehicle(s), damage to the other automobile, and your injuries. After the accident, you should also return to the crash scene and check for security cameras in the area. You cannot get government-run surveillance, but private surveillance is pretty easy to obtain.
Seek Legal Representation for Your Personal Injury Case
- If you are severely injured in an accident, always obtain (at least) a consultation with an Atlanta Personal Injury Attorney. Many attorneys offer free consultations, and hiring representation significantly increases your chances of receiving the compensation you deserve. “Victims without legal representation often make avoidable mistakes that result in them recovering less compensation.”
Attorneys Julie M. Essa and Noor E. Kennedy have over 10 years of experience handling Personal Injury cases following accidents. Understanding the various outcomes and situations in these cases significantly increases your chances of receiving the compensation you are often entitled to. Contact Our Firm Today and receive a free case evaluation.