10 Tips On What To Do When You’ve Been Injured In A Car Accident
Seek Medical Care
The first thing you should do if you are in a car accident in California is seek medical care. It is often that victims in a car accident do not realize that they are seriously injured because of shock. A car accident or motorcycle accident can be a traumatizing event that people will remember all the years of their lives so it is important that you go to the hospital whether you can afford it or not.
Many injuries often develop long after an accident too, such as back pain, arthritis, permanent scars, inability to run, walk, stretch, bend over, or engage in athletics at the same stamina and strength, etc. Make sure you seek medical attention right away so that a doctor may examine you and offer you the best treatment possible.
If Possible, Call the Police
Some people wonder if they should call the police or not after an accident. You should call the police. If you are unable to call the police yourself, have a loved one or a friend call for you.
The purpose of the police is that they act as the first investigator. They will collect the other drivers’ vehicle information, their contact information, they will interview witnesses at the scene, and they will ask each side their version of what happened. All of this information will go into a police report, which can become very useful later.
If the car accident is a close call between who is more at fault or not, witnesses who observed the accident become crucial to proving your case before a jury. If a witness disputes the other side’s story and there is no other physical evidence to rely on (such as video surveillance, iPhone videos, or other images capturing the accident), that witness becomes the most important factor in being able to win your case.
The police also form their own opinions in their police reports. If the police conclude that you were not at fault and the other driver is at fault, this can be used as evidence in your case. If the police issue a citation to the other driver, this is especially good for your case as it can be used to show the other driver was negligent or reckless.
Take Lots of Pictures and Videos
You or someone you trust need to take lots of pictures and videos. This step is the most important step of all. You will need to photograph and/or video all of the damage to your vehicle and your personal belongings that were damaged. Many people forget about their personal belongings that were damaged. The more pictures or videos you have of all the damage, the better.
If you received physical injuries in the accident, it is crucial that you take tons of photographs and videos of you being taken to the hospital, being treated in the emergency room, and the aftermath of your injuries after you get home from the hospital. You should take photographs and videos even as your injuries improve. These photographs and videos become absolutely necessary to show the jury the seriousness of your injuries and show a jury why they should award you money. Carefully take photographs and videos of each injury.
Make Sure You or Someone You’re With Gets the Driver’s Insurance Information
California requires that everyone that operates a motor vehicle have insurance. It is crucial that you take a photograph of the other driver’s insurance card or write down the insurance information.
Assuming the other driver is insured, their insurance policy will usually be the maximum amount of money that you will be able to recover from the other driver. Most people do not have tons of money in their bank account to fully compensate you for your injuries. The insurance policy will show you the limits of what is recoverable at trial.
For example, if you have $50,000 in medical bills and the driver’s insurance policy is $300,000, our Burbank car accident lawyers could potentially recover that full $300,000 to pay for all of your injuries and give you additional money for your pain and suffering. If the insurance policy is only $15,000 and the driver has no other money, you could be limited to only $15,000 in that recovery.
Do Not Talk to the Other Driver’s Insurance Agents about the Accident
After you have collected the other driver’s insurance information and you are back at home from either the accident or the hospital, you need to contact the Law Offices of Michael C. Murphy immediately. You can never trust an insurance agent about your accident.
What will happen is that the other driver’s insurance company will try to contact you over the phone and try to get your statement. They will record the conversation over the phone and try to get you to trick you into admitting that you were at fault. Any statements that you give to an insurance agent will try to be used against you at trial. Lawyers will later try to twist your words and do everything in their power to destroy your case.
It cannot be stated enough, do not talk to any insurance agents or insurance companies. Ignore their letters. Our Westlake Village car accident lawyers will handle everything for you. Once we contact the insurance company and tell them we are representing you, they are not allowed to contact you ever again without your personal injury lawyer.
Be Careful About What You Say to Emergency Personnel and Hospital Staff
If you are conscious after an accident and you need emergency help, it is very important that you be careful about what you tell firefighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses, and hospital staff. If you tell emergency workers or hospital personnel that you were at fault and you made a big mistake, your case could be ruined. If those statements are written down in your hospital records, they will be used against you at a trial.
It is also very important that you be honest about your injuries to doctors, nurses, and hospital staff. This is not the time to act like a tough person or hold back your pain. If you are truly in pain but tell the doctor you are fine, lawyers will try to use that against you later. You should be completely honest with hospital workers.
Ask the Hospital Where You Were Treated to Send You All of Your Medical and Billing Records
Once you have retained the Law Offices of Michael C. Murphy to represent you in your California motorcycle accident case, you will need to get all of your medical and billing records. This information will be needed whether you negotiate a settlement before suing or after your personal injury attorney Ventura County has filed suit. The faster you can get us your medical and billing records, the sooner we can begin negotiations on your behalf.
If You Have to Miss Work, You can Recover Your Lost Income
One category of damages that you may be able to recover is loss of income. If you have to miss work to do surgery, attend medical appointments, or simply rest at home, there is a good chance our car accident attorney can recover the money you would have earned if you had gone to work.
If your injuries are serious enough where it impacts your trade or skill on a permanent level, you may be able to recover future loss of earnings and loss of earning capacity. This means that our personal injury lawyer can ask a jury to award you money based on what you would have made in the future, especially if you can never work again. Our car accident attorneys with the Law Offices of Michael C. Murphy will do everything in their power to recoup the maximum amount of money that you deserve.
If Your Clothes or Personal Belongings Were Damaged, You Can Recover Compensation to Replace Them
Many drivers do not purchase insurance to cover their personal belongings. Even if your own insurance will not pay you for damage to personal belongings, our personal injury lawyers can ask that the other driver’s insurance reimburse you for the damage to your belongings. If you had clothing, furniture, a motorcycle helmet, jewelry, etc., that were damaged in the accident, we can ask for money to replace them.
Call the Law Offices of Michael C. Murphy
Whether you need a Los Angeles car accident lawyer or Ventura County car accident lawyer, we can help you. Our personal injury attorneys here at the Law Offices of Michael C. Murphy will know how to navigate through your case and work tirelessly to obtain the best possible recovery for you. We will work as a team and the better the outcome for you, the better the outcome for all.
Our California personal injury lawyers will meet with you and give you the time and attention that you deserve. If you are unable to meet with us because of your injury, we will make arrangements to accommodate you by either coming to your home or scheduling a video chat with Zoom. Contact the Law Offices of Michael C. Murphy today to receive a free phone consultation.