Personal Injury Law Blog

PUB: OnMogul: Four Things to Do (or Not Do) After an Accident to Maximize Your Recovery

Successful personal injury lawsuits generally have one thing in common: an overwhelming amount of persuasive facts and information. Successful claims for damages after an accident thrive on information. The more information you have, the greater your chances of recovering the compensation you need get back to your life. We’ve compiled a list of four things we think you should know if you are involved in an accident. Keeping these steps in mind can help to maximize the information at your attorney’s disposal if you decide that you want to pursue a claim for personal injury damages. For more information, please visit: https://www.socalpersonalinjurylawyer.com.

Get a Medical Evaluation as Soon as Possible.

Contact medical professionals even if you do not think that you have been injured. Some injuries may not be visible or may not manifest until hours or days after an accident. Seeing a doctor and getting a comprehensive evaluation accomplishes two things. First, it ensures that there are no urgent, underlying injuries that could pose a threat to your immediate health. Internal bleeding and internal organ damage are not uncommon after an accident, so it is important to rule those injuries out. If a doctor happens to find an internal injury you can be treated before it becomes a problem and causes further damage. Second, it documents your injuries and preserves vital information about your state of mind, wellbeing, and health immediately after the accident. This information will help to combat common arguments made by an at-fault party. If they claim that your injury was not caused by the accident or that you were not emotionally distressed after the fact, the doctor’s report can help to refute these claims.

Call The Police and Request a Police Report

When you call to report an accident an operator will generally ask if anyone was injured. If an ambulance is necessary – for you or someone else involved – you should request that one is sent immediately. If an ambulance is not necessary you should simply request that an officer is dispatched to the scene of the accident. Always ask the officer to complete a Traffic Collision Report. The Traffic Collision Report – often referred to as a police report – will be an invaluable tool for the personal injury attorney you hire to recover damages on your behalf. The police report may not be used as evidence in a lawsuit on its own, but it offers a source of information and helps to provide a snapshot of the accident. A police report may document:

  • Time and place of the accident;
  • Parties involved;
  • Weather and traffic conditions;
  • Eyewitnesses at the scene;
  • Statements made by you and the other driver;
  • Legal violations that may have caused or contributed to the accident; and
  • Preliminary attributions of fault.

DO Not Speak Directly With Insurance Company Representatives

Let’s say that you are involved in a car accident in San Diego for which another driver was entirely to blame. If you are injured or if your car is significantly damaged you will probably be interested in recovering compensation from the other driver. However, California drivers are required to carry liability insurance. This generally means that you will be negotiating with the driver’s insurance company, rather than the driver himself. They will likely try to reach out to you for a statement – do not agree to speak with them until you have consulted an attorney! Anything you say can be misconstrued and used against you down the line to limit the amount(s) you receive. Insurance companies are notorious for denying and/or underpaying claims submitted by injured drivers. An experienced California personal injury attorney will have experience negotiating with these stubborn insurance companies and a successful track record of making them pay.

A quick side note: be sure to carry uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in the event that a driver does not lawfully carry liability insurance. This will help to cover the costs you incur after an accident.

Contact an Experienced Southern California Personal Injury Attorney

If you want to maximize your recovery you should waste no time in contacting an experienced personal injury attorney to represent you. Attorneys are specially trained, understand complex California personal injury laws, and have access to resources that can help to generate the greatest recovery of damages. It is crucial to contact an attorney as soon as possible after an accident. The moment you are injured in an accident (or the moment you discover an injury) a statute of limitations begins to run. This means that you are only permitted to pursue a claim for damages within a specified amount of time after an injury.

The sooner you contact an attorney, the sooner they can begin to investigate your case. When you hire an attorney to represent you he or she will work tirelessly to ensure that you are properly compensated for your injuries. Steps an attorney may take when preparing your claim for damages may include:

  • Investigating the accident that caused your injuries;
  • Reviewing the police report and medical evaluation(s);
  • Analyzing photographs and other information about the scene of the accident;
  • Consulting with experts, including accident recreationists, physicians, and collision experts;
  • Researching relevant case law;
  • Communicating with the at-fault party and/or their insurance company; and
  • Determining liability (more than one party may be liable, including employers, the government, or manufacturers).

If you or someone you know has been injured in a Southern California accident you should contact an attorney to learn about your legal options. The process of filing a claim for damages is time sensitive and can be complicated if you are unfamiliar with the law. The sooner you call an attorney, the sooner you can begin the road to recovering compensation. Contact our Southern California personal injury attorneys today for a free, no-commitment consultation. We offer our services on a contingency fee basis so that you can dedicate your energy and finances toward recovery. We do not get paid until we recover compensation on your behalf

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      “Mr. Glotzer represented me after I was involved in a car accident. I was badly injured,but the insurance company refused to offer me a reasonable settlement. I decided to find an attorney and decided to hire Josh.

      His law firm did a great job on my case. They were very responsive to all my questions and obtained a great resolution for me. I received way more money than was originally offered. I would recommend their firm to friends and family.”

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      “Mr. Josh Glotzer is a great attorney. Over the last 15 years he has helped me on a number of cases with professionalism, and more importantly a positive outcome in my favor. I have referred him to a number of friends and colleagues, all of which have been equally as happy with his legal representation. I trust him and confident in legal ability. I highly recommend his law firm.”

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      “Don’t try to deal with insurance companies on your own. They strung me along for almost two years before I gave the case to Glotzer & Leib. Josh and his team quickly obtained a settlement that netted me many times what the insurance company was offering. Thank You!”

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      “My wife was in a car accident last year and Josh did an amazing job representing her. It’s very refreshing to see someone in his profession that actually cares and puts his clients first. He’s the best in the business and I feel so fortunate that I was referred to him. Keep up the great work and thanks for everything you did for my family!”

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