Being in a car accident can be a traumatic and stressful experience. Even if you escape without major physical injuries, the process of dealing with insurance claims, car repairs, medical bills, and lost wages can be daunting. Having an experienced car accident lawyer on your side makes a big difference in getting the maximum compensation you deserve from your car insurance policy.
Seek medical treatment right away
The first thing your lawyer will advise is to seek prompt medical attention after an accident, even if you don’t feel you’ve been seriously hurt. Symptoms of pain, headache, dizziness, or discomfort arise hours or days later as the adrenaline wears off. Having prompt medical documentation of your injuries strengthens your case. Your lawyer refers you to doctors experienced in treating car accident victims who properly assess your condition and determine if additional testing or treatment is needed. Orange County Car Accident Lawyer will instruct you to gather as much evidence as possible from the scene. Take ample photos showing damage to all vehicles and surroundings including skid marks, debris, and weather conditions. Get contact details of witnesses who saw the accident occur. All this evidence will help reconstruct how the accident happened and prove the other driver was at fault.
Report your accident to insurance quickly
Inform your insurer promptly about the accident, even if you don’t have all the details yet. Your lawyer will advise you on what facts to share, helping avoid any statements that could be used against you later. Reporting quickly also puts your insurer on notice you will be submitting a claim. Follow up the initial call by providing a written statement of the accident to your insurer within a day or two. A lawyer will instruct you to keep detailed written records about every aspect of your accident and injuries. This includes taking notes of pain levels, doctor consultations, medical procedures, medication doses, lost work time, income loss, and expenses for items such as prescriptions, medical equipment, and mileage for visits to doctors and physical therapy sessions. Thorough documentation will enable your lawyer to prove your claim for damages.
Consult an experienced personal injury lawyer
An experienced lawyer knows what evidence, facts and documentation carries the most weight for maximizing your insurance claim. Starting from the initial accident report to your insurer, your lawyer will take action to position your case for the highest possible settlement. Your lawyer understands applicable injury laws and legal strategies that laypersons simply don’t know. Figuring out who was at fault and the extent of liability is tricky after a collision, especially when multiple vehicles are involved. Even police reports contain errors. Your lawyer will undertake a detailed investigation to establish facts about how the accident happened and which driver was responsible. Witness statements, photographs, damage assessments, crash diagrams, and even accident reconstruction experts are needed to prove your case. To get help after a car accident in Orange County.
There are two main categories of accident compensation – general damages for pain and suffering, and special damages to cover actual financial losses. Your lawyer will accurately calculate both damages components you deserve. This includes projecting the dollar amounts for immediate and future medical costs, lost earnings, property damage, and pain and suffering damages based on prior case law and settlements.
