After an accident, the victim often finds themselves with serious injuries and high medical bills. In order to recover properly, it may take thousands of dollars in premiums. This is a stressful situation for an individual who can no longer work due to injuries or is currently going through difficult financial times. Insurance companies offer a very low settlement that is just a fraction of the cost of recovering, which leaves them unable to fully recover. These insurance companies only want to reduce their liabilities and increase shareholder wealth. If you’re wondering when to call a lawyer after a car accident, the answer is as soon as possible.
When to Call a Lawyer After a Car Accident
The clock starts ticking the instant you have an accident — it’s a countdown to that first financial problem coming your way. Your first issue may be when you miss a paycheck. Pretty soon, doctors’ bills come in and you need to find a way to pay them.
Immediately after suffering an injury in a car accident, there are the steps you can take to help you get the compensation you need:
Step 1: Call 911
When you call 911 to report an accident, the police and emergency medical teams will be alerted, which will help everyone receive medical attention. A police report with your story and a medical report with your injuries are the best ways to establish exactly what happened.
The police will take statements from both parties involved and generate a report. Without these reports, it’s much harder to establish liability or fault.
Step 2: Collect Proof at the Scene of the Crime
Without photo or video evidence, it’s your word against theirs. You should gather preliminary evidence to help your car accident case. Take pictures of license plates, eyewitness contact information, vehicle damage, and intersections.
In addition to the statements on your police report, try to gather statements from witnesses at the scene of the accident if you are able to.
Step 3: Contact a Car Accident Attorney
It is important to contact an experienced car accident attorney right away in order to avoid the insurance company’s trap. Many insurance companies will offer people a weak settlement offer after sustaining an accident. This can be just 10% of what they need. An experienced car accident attorney will help you build your case and get the recovery you deserve. Remember, calling an attorney is not the same as suing someone.
3 Don’ts After an Accident
Now that we’ve covered what you should do after an accident, here are several things you need to avoid doing after an accident to establish clear fault when building your case.
Don’t Avoid Reporting the Accident
If you don’t believe you’ve been injured, it can be tempting to just leave and exchange information after a car accident. But some car accidents injuries are not easy to detect as soon as they happen — they can show up days or weeks after they occur. Always call the police and get an official police report.
Don’t Apologize or Admit Fault
Our first instinct after an accident might be to apologize. However, the other driver may use your apology as an admission of fault. Even if you think you have some of the blame for the situation, don’t admit fault as this can be used against you in a settlement.
Don’t Accept the First Settlement Offer You Get
The insurance company often pushes injured accident victims into accepting unfair injury settlements that are far below what they need to recover. Get help from a lawyer before signing anything.
Start Building Your Case Now
Your time limit to report an accident is four years — but to get the largest settlement possible, starting immediately is your best choice. Now that you know when to contact a lawyer after an accident, call the office of Pacin Levine, P.A. at 305-760-9085. We will start building your case and working the insurance companies immediately in order to get you the settlement you deserve.
