You’re stopped at a red light watching the world go by, and suddenly the world stops. You’ve been rear-ended hard by a large SUV. Your head and neck snap. You feel pain, and you’re disoriented. In the instant that it took for that SUV to hit and injure you, a legal case arose. Protect and preserve your rights by avoiding the following mistakes:
Mistake No. 1 – Not calling 911
Don’t agree not to call the police. By all means, you want the accident investigated. A police accident report will be completed, and both your insurer and the insurer of the person who rear-ended you will rely heavily on its contents. Never agree not to call 911 after an accident. You’ll be giving up your valuable right to an investigation at the scene of the crash.
Mistake No. 2 – Not letting paramedics evaluate your condition at the scene
You’ve been hurt, so you should make sure you get a complete medical evaluation starting with paramedics who can begin assessing your condition and possibly providing medical treatment at the scene. Paramedics will examine and treat you there. They’ll prepare a record of their findings that your attorney will want to review.
Mistake No. 3 – Not going to the emergency room
Your ride to the emergency room is right there at the accident scene with the paramedics. Use it. Emergency room personnel will examine you, perform appropriate diagnostics and treat you. Your attorneys will be able to access their records after you retain us.
Mistake No. 4 – Don’t miss medical appointments
If emergency room doctors refer you to another doctor, there’s a reason for the referral. Make an appointment, and don’t miss it. Always attend every medical appointment that you have. Insurers love to see gaps in treatment. They’ll argue that you weren’t hurt as badly as you claim, or you were malingering. Don’t fail to attend medical appointments.
Mistake No. 5 – Don’t sit on your case
The opposing insurer will start preparing its defense as soon as the claim file is opened at their office. The longer you wait for legal representation, the more you hurt your case. If you wait so long as to miss a notice period or a statute of limitations, they win.
This article was submitted by Pacific Attorney Group. Preserve and protect your rights. If your accident occurred in Southern California, please contact Pacific Attorney Group as soon as possible to schedule your free case evaluation.