Preserve Your Rights When in a Car Accident
Most of us will be involved in an auto accident at some point in our lives, whether it is a fender-bender or a serious motor vehicle accident involving personal injury. Being in an accident can be disorienting and upsetting, so it’s important to know in advance what actions to take after a car accident to meet your legal obligations and protect your rights. You should: Notify – Document – Do the right thing – Just the facts – Preserve your rights – Contact a personal injury lawyer.
Most of us will be involved in an auto accident at some point in our lives, whether it is a fender-bender or a serious motor vehicle accident involving personal injury. Being in an accident can be disorienting and upsetting, so it’s important to know in advance what actions to take after a car accident to meet your legal obligations and protect your rights. You should: Notify – Document – Do the right thing – Just the facts – Preserve your rights – Contact a personal injury lawyer.
Notify: Call the police, so that they can investigate the accident and file a report. Stay at the scene until public safety officials arrive. Request emergency medical attention if needed. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible to tell them that an accident has taken place.
Document: Obtain contact, license and insurance company information from the other driver. Take the name and phone number of witnesses. Photograph any damage or visible injuries. Write notes of conversations with insurance company representatives. Keep receipts and records for medical services and any other costs incurred related to the accident.
Do the right thing: Tell the truth both because it is your legal obligation to do so, but also because making false statements can void some insurance policies. Inquire about the health of others involved in the accident.
Just the facts: Answer police questions about the facts, but avoid assigning blame to yourself. Avoid statements such as “I wasn’t injured”, or making any other statements to that effect about your health until you have been seen by a physician. Some injuries, such as soft tissue injuries (i.e.: whiplash and other spine injuries) are not immediately apparent, as they may take 1-3 days before the injuries, pain and suffering fully appear. It’s OK to say you don’t feel the need to go to the emergency room immediately.
Preserve your rights: Don’t sign a medical records authorization for the other person’s insurance company, and don’t give a recorded statement to the other person’s insurance company. Always speak to an attorney before signing anything for the other person’s insurance company. Certainly don’t agree to accept a settlement check from an insurance company until you have had the chance to speak with a personal injury attorney, as that may prohibit you from obtaining all the compensation that you deserve.
Contact an attorney: Insurance companies have attorneys on staff. Adjusters (the people who investigate and handle claims) spend their days immersed in the legal world concerning car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents and other personal injury matters, including slip and fall accidents. The adjusters understand how the insurance laws work to their advantage, and to your disadvantage. Injured people do not have that background, which is why they need an experienced, reputable attorney who specializes in personal injury the law to help protect their rights and obtain the compensation they deserve. You should rely upon an experienced Maine injury lawyer to assist you in gaining legal compensations for injuries that you suffered because of the negligence and careless acts of another driver. Contact Marchese Injury Law. Our legal professionals can help you. For a FREE consultation, call us at (888)-775-6042 or (207)-775-6042, or email to info@MarcheseInjuryLaw.com. Our offices are located at 477 Congress Street Suite 1104, Portland, Maine, with convenient covered parking in the garage attached to the building.
