Baltimore Car Accident Attorney has a deep understanding of insurance laws. They know how to gather and preserve evidence such as police reports, witness statements, medical records and bills, employment and loss of income information, and surveillance footage.
A car crash can lead to a multitude of losses. These losses can include a destroyed or totaled vehicle, debilitating physical injuries, and lost wages.
When you’re in a car accident, it can turn your life upside down in an instant. Even a seemingly minor crash can cause significant injuries, property damage, and financial burdens that leave you struggling to provide for yourself and your loved ones. Sadly, some people are unable to recover from their injuries and lose the ability to work and live the lives they used to. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you must take the following steps immediately to protect your rights and ensure that you receive fair compensation for your losses.
It’s best to avoid discussing what happened with the other driver at the accident scene if possible. This can be used against you later by the other driver’s insurance company to deny your claim or reduce your settlement amount. Even saying things such as “I’m sorry” can be twisted by the insurance company to show that you’re admitting fault.
It’s also important to stay calm and move out of traffic’s path as quickly as possible. Shift your vehicle into the park, turn off the engine, and use cones or warning triangles to mark the scene of the accident if necessary. Also, check for any injuries and call 911. It’s also important to call the police, even if the accident seems minor. A police report will help establish what really happened and who was responsible.
Be sure to exchange information with the other driver, including their name, address, phone number, insurance carrier and policy number. Also, get a photo of their license plate and take pictures of the accident scene. Jot down notes as well, such as the date and time of the incident, weather conditions, traffic patterns and what you think happened.
Do Not Admit Fault
While this may seem counterintuitive, admitting fault in the immediate aftermath of a car accident can seriously jeopardize your chances of recovering fair compensation. Even if you believe you are partially to blame, it is important to remain silent at the scene and not speak to any insurance companies until you have an attorney by your side.
Any statements you make to police officers can be used against you in the courtroom and will go into an official report that will also be reviewed by insurance companies. In addition, even if you are not severely injured, the fact that you were not immediately examined for injuries could be used to discredit your claim.
Leaving the scene of an accident can be considered a crime and will hurt your case as well. Staying at the scene of the accident allows you to capture evidence such as witness accounts, photographs of the vehicles and surrounding environment, and damage to your vehicle. It also gives you the opportunity to check yourself and others for injuries and provide immediate medical attention if needed.
It is important to avoid making statements that can be used against you in the future, such as apologizing, admitting fault, or discussing your actions before and after the accident. You should also avoid describing your state of mind or implying that you were impaired by alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash.
If you admit fault, it will be easier for the other driver to shift blame onto you and increase the amount of fault assigned to you in the accident. This will reduce the amount of damages you can recover for your expenses, losses, and suffering. Even if you are found to be only partially responsible for the accident, any percentage of fault that is assigned to you will be deducted from your total compensation award.
Do Not Accept a Settlement Offer
After a car accident, victims face a variety of challenges including physical discomfort, emotional turmoil and financial burdens. Often, insurance companies will offer an initial settlement to help cover the cost of injuries and losses. However, these offers should be carefully evaluated by you or a personal injury lawyer. Generally, it is best to reject the first offer and negotiate a higher figure with an experienced attorney.
While the initial offer may appear to be generous, it is unlikely to cover all of your expenses and damages. For example, the most severe injuries often have long-term impacts on a victim’s life and can require significant future medical costs and lost income. The initial offer does not likely account for these elements, which can significantly increase your claim amount.
In addition to considering the initial offer, you should also consult with your attorney and ensure that all of your damages are fully accounted for. This will include a review of all medical records, lost wages, damage to your vehicle, and more. Your attorney will also evaluate any eye-witness testimony that could strengthen your case and help the insurance company understand how serious your injuries are.
Ultimately, you are not obligated to accept the first settlement offer from the at-fault driver’s insurance company. You are free to formally reject the offer in writing, which will not be legally binding. This is an opportunity to show the insurance company that you will not settle for less than what you are entitled to. It will also allow your attorney to reevaluate the offer and submit a counteroffer that adequately reflects your injuries and loss. If you have questions about a potential settlement offer, please contact an experienced NYC car accident attorney at Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP to schedule a free consultation.
Do Not Talk to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
If the other driver’s insurance company contacts you after a crash, it is important to understand that you are not required to talk to them. In fact, it is usually in your best interest to avoid talking to them. Insurance companies are looking for information that can be used against you to deny your claim or to reduce the amount of your settlement. The representative may appear friendly and empathetic, but this is often a tactic to get you to relax and make damaging statements.
If you do end up speaking to the other driver’s insurance company, politely decline to give a recorded statement and ask them to contact your attorney instead. They may still try to ask you questions about the accident, but you should do your best to only answer as much as is necessary. Avoid discussing how you are feeling or how bad your injuries may be, as this is too early to know the true extent of your damages and injuries.
Additionally, do not admit to anything at all, as this can be used against you later on. Finally, do not discuss any details about the accident, such as how the collision happened. The other driver’s insurance company will likely try to claim that you did not follow the rules of the road or that you were driving recklessly. This is not a good idea as you do not want to provide them with any reason to question the severity of your injuries or fault for the accident.
Do Not Wait to Contact an Attorney
There are some cases in which hiring a car accident attorney is a must, such as when the at-fault party is uninsured or underinsured. However, in many situations, it is not necessary to hire a lawyer right away. You may be in the hospital for a long period of time after an accident, and it could be difficult to get in touch with a lawyer. If this is the case, have a friend or family member contact an attorney on your behalf.
The longer you wait to hire an attorney, the harder it will be to build a strong case for compensation. This is because memories fade and people move away, making it more difficult to find witnesses to corroborate your account of the incident. It’s also more difficult to gather evidence that proves the other driver was at fault for the crash.
Insurance companies will do everything in their power to discredit your claim and shift the blame to you. An experienced car accident lawyer will be able to stand up against these tactics and protect you from saying anything that could hurt your legal claims.
In addition to preventing you from accidentally admitting fault, an attorney can negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company and other at-fault parties to secure maximum compensation for your claim. This includes pursuing damages for medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. Additionally, an attorney can help you pursue compensation from other at-fault parties, such as the manufacturer of a defective vehicle part or government entities for defective road conditions. This can add up to a substantial amount of money in your compensation settlement.