Steps To Take If You’ve Been Injured in a Car Accident?
This is the first of a two-part series in which our Oklahoma car accident attorney discusses steps you should take if you’ve been injured in an automobile accident. This is especially important because when you are experiencing intense pain and the emotional distress associated with a car accident, your judgment can be understandably impaired. If you’ve been injured, you should take steps to protect yourself and ensure your physical and emotional health are taken care of. Since the liability of the other driver is not automatic, the actions an injury victim takes following a motor vehicle crash can have a profound impact on an individual’s ability to recover for their injuries and resulting medical care, time off work, and future pain and suffering.
At the Hedrick Law Firm we have made it our goal to tenaciously pursue the fullest financial recovery for victims of negligent drivers. Therefore, this two-part blog series is designed to provide you with proper information that will help to ensure you recover for your injuries.
Contact Police and Always Exchange Insurance Information if You Are Involved in an Auto Accident:
Drivers who do not immediately notice injuries sometimes fail to contact police, or fail to even exchange information with the other driver. The decision to forgo contacting police or obtaining driver’s license, insurance, and contact information from the other driver can have devastating consequences if you subsequently experience injury symptoms. The assumption that a lack of immediate injury at the scene of the accident means you were not injured is absolutely false. It is common for injuries to manifest in the hours subsequent to an auto accident – usually after the adrenaline and shock of the accident have diminished. Therefore, if you’ve been involved in an auto accident, you should contact police and exchange information with the other driver.
Never Agree to a Recorded Statement or In-Person Visit from the Other Driver’s Insurance Adjuster Without First Speaking to an Attorney:
Even if the insurance adjuster for the at-fault driver seems amicable, a recorded statement or face-to-face meeting without legal representation is an extremely bad idea. The job of the insurance adjuster for the other driver is to minimize the liability and payout of claims. It is not to ensure you are adequately compensated for your injuries and time off work. The adjuster will not be looking out for your interests and can use a recorded statement or in-person meeting to avoid or minimize payment of your claim. Recorded statements or in-person visits are not designed to facilitate settlement of your claim (although the adjuster for the other driver’s insurance company might tell you that this is the case). The purpose is to preserve a record of you saying things that undermine your claim. The answers you give to questions might be used to shift blame for the accident to you, or to establish that your loss is not as substantial as you are claiming.
Promptly Obtain Medical Attention If You Are Injured:
Sometimes, auto accident victims avoid ambulance rides or emergency room visits for fear of running up a hospital bill. Sometimes, the emotional upheaval and shock associated with an auto accident can mask symptoms arising from car crash injuries. Failing to obtain prompt medical attention at the first sign of injuries, however, can have devastating consequences, including a worsening prognosis, and the loss of valuable medical evidence. Further, it is a common tactic of insurance companies and defense attorneys to point to any delay in treatment as evidence that a claimant did not suffer serious injury, or that your injuries are not a result of the auto accident.
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, our Oklahoma Car Accident Lawyer is here to help. Melissa Hedrick has successfully represented many car crash victims in obtaining compensation for their injuries. Contact our firm today at 405-361-7844 to schedule your free consultation, so we can answer any questions you may have regarding filing your claim.
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