Injured in a crash? Now what? Part #2
Now that you have dealt with the police at the scene, you may still have questions. Let us help with the next steps that you should take. This post will help provide a general guide for common steps that you should take once you leave the scene of the crash.
- Are you injured? If you rode in the ambulance to the hospital, you are on your way to identifying your injuries, if any, and what your next medical steps will be – as the hospitals will make recommendations or referrals for additional testing or doctors you should see. If they simply send you home with pills and a general note to come back if pains are unbearable or to follow up with your family doctor, then you still have a general path.
- Medical care. You refused care at the scene but you are sore. Many people with non-life-threatening injuries simply just want to get home where they can rest and take an over-the-counter pain reliever, hoping that the soreness and stiffness will simply go away. What happens if it doesn’t? You will need to seek medical attention. Delays in treatment can hurt your case. But it is not uncommon for those injured in a crash to try home remedies for a few weeks, because if the pain and stiffness go away, that is what you really want. So, if you take pain relievers at home and the pain does not go away, go get checked out. Report the crash and notify the provider of how you feel and when the pains and/or stiffness begin.
- Notify your insurance company. You have an obligation to notify your car insurance company of the crash. Provide them with just the basic details of the crash.
- Do you have to speak with the other insurance company? NO. You do not have to speak with them. They will use trained tactics to get answers from you that may damage your case. You won’t have all the answers to their questions early on. So if they call, you do not have to speak with them. When you hire us, we handle all communications for you, removing this stress from your life.
- Vehicle. If your vehicle has been towed or is drivable, make sure you get your own repair estimates. The other driver’s insurance company will get their own repair estimate, but you are free to use a body shop of your choice, in most situations. While your car is out of commission, you are entitled to a rental car. We are able to help with these steps and are here to answer all of your questions about the vehicle, including what happens if your car is a total loss. Take as many pictures of your car as possible.
- Get your game plan. Dealing with a wrecked car, your injuries, insurance companies who won’t call you back or wave a few dollars in your face is stressful. Unless you are skilled in dealing with these situations, you need help. That is where we step in. We will deal with the insurance companies for you, keeping them informed as to the status of your recovery, making sure that you are getting great medical care, and informing you of your rights – what laws apply to your case, did the defendant driver break those laws, and as a result, what are you entitled to recover.
Setting up an insurance claim seems simple, but there are very important things that you should say and many questions that you may not have the answers to and should not guess. That is where our skill comes into play and can add value to your case. We take the time to explain to you the importance of communicating with us and your doctors. Knowing how to explain your injuries and pain symptoms is important and you need to understand the right way to describe your pain because “it hurts here,” if not good enough. Come back for Part #3 where we will discuss what to expect after your claim has been established.
Car crashes, motorcycle crashes, 18wheeler crashes happen. When they do, we are here to help the victims maximize their recovery. We are here to help. We are a personal injury law firm in downtown Lafayette, Louisiana. For more than 50 years, we have been able to maximize results for our clients either through settlement or victories in the courtroom. Through teamwork and communication, I am able to effectively and efficiently maximize my client’s recovery. No two cases are exactly alike, and you should not be treated as a number on an assembly line. Hire an attorney who knows you by name and will spend the time with you to understand how your life has been affected, explain the law that applies to your case, the game plan, and to answer all of your questions. We work FOR our clients. Injured and have questions?