Factors That May Affect Whether You Accept a Proposed Settlement

When you’re hurt in a motor vehicle accident because someone else fails to pay attention, the shock can lead to confusion and anxiety. You want to protect your legal rights, but you also want to know that you and your loved ones will be okay. Here are some guidelines for what to do after a crash.

Always Give Priority to Your Physical Needs and Condition

After a wreck, the most important thing is to get the medical attention you need. Remember that this is not the time to be strong or heroic. There’s little to be accomplished by ignoring or minimizing your injuries. If you feel unsteady, or can’t move under your own power, don’t try to!Be willing to stay right where you are until emergency medical technicians arrive (unless, of course, there’s danger in doing so). Defer to the medical professionals—if they believe you should go to the hospital in an ambulance, do so.

If you are able to move about, you still should seek medical attention as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the greater the risk that attorneys for the at-fault party will argue that your injuries either were not serious or were caused by some other subsequent accident

The best course of action is to immediately go to a hospital or urgent care facility. If you can get in to see your personal physician the same day, that’s also a good option. Ask the doctor to document everything in writing. In addition, be sure to tell medical professionals about everything that’s out of the ordinary—don’t focus just on the obvious injury (the cuts or broken bones) and neglect to mention the soreness in your back or neck.

Gather Information to Help with Your Case

You’ll help your attorney significantly by doing a few things:

• Get contact information from everyone involved in the accident, as well as all witnesses.
• Take pictures of everything—road conditions, vehicle damage, your injuries, the weather. The camera on your phone is fine to use for this.

Contact an Attorney

It’s a better idea to contact a lawyer before you speak to your insurance company. Your insurer has a vested interest in minimizing the payout to you. Your lawyer has an incentive to maximize your recovery. If you contact an attorney first, he or she can be your intermediary with the insurance company.