No matter how calm and collected you may be in your everyday life, a serious accident can easily leave you feeling panicked and confused.
Despite this natural feeling, it is important to try and stay focused and to direct your attention to certain steps that will help you to protect your right to compensation as an injury victim. By following these steps, you can greatly improve your chances of making a strong personal injury claim against the at-fault party, as you will be gathering evidence and removing opportunities for the opposition to make you appear at fault for the accident. Here are some of the things you need to do following your accident:
Do not admit fault (even partial fault) or make any statements that can be used against you later on.
- Write down the names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident. Get as many witnesses as you can!!
- Snap photos of the accident scene.
- Seek immediate medical attention and keep copies of your medical paperwork, bills, receipts, etc. Also, follow your doctor’s orders.
- Do not answer questions from the at-fault party’s insurance company without first consulting with a lawyer!! Insurance companies often call victims and ask that questions so they get statements that will later be used to shift the blame to the victim.
It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to have a qualified attorney on your side after you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence. An experienced lawyer will be able to help you collect the appropriate evidence, negotiate with the insurance company, and even file a lawsuit on your behalf, if necessary.
At Tiveron Law our personal injury lawyers know how the legal system works. In recognition of their excellent work in personal injury law, they have been honored by Super Lawyers® Magazine, Martindale-Hubbell®, and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum®. Contact us at 716-636-7600 for a free case evaluation.