Car accidents are traumatic events that leave victims and their family members with numerous questions about the future and the path forward. At the law office of Fisher & Talwar, our Los Angeles car accident lawyers know that if you’ve been in a crash, you need answers. While knowing what to do can be confusing and overwhelming, our lawyers are here to provide guidance along the way. For your free consultation, please feel free to reach out to us directly. Here are three important steps to take following your car accident in LA–
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Report the Accident
One of the most important things that you need to do following a car accident in Los Angeles is to report the car accident immediately to the police. If you do not report the car accident, it is very likely that you will find it impossible to file a successful claim with your car insurance company or the insurance company of the other driver. Be sure to request a copy of the accident report.
In addition to reporting the accident to the police you also want to report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible after the crash. If you wait too long to report the accident, your insurance company could deny your claim on the basis that they weren’t given proper notice (see your insurance policy to learn more about how much time you have to file a claim before you’re barred from doing so). Be sure to report the accident in writing and to keep a copy of this report for your records.
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Seek Medical Care
Whether you seek medical care first or report the accident first will depend, in large part, on the severity of your injuries; if you are severely injured, it is more likely than not that you will have no choice but to seek medical care first – you may even be transported to the hospital while you are unconscious.
Seeking medical care is critical after a crash. Not only do you need to seek medical care to ensure that you get the professional treatment you need to heal to the extent possible, but also because seeking medical care immediately after the crash creates a causal connection between the accident and your injuries. If you do not seek medical care and then later try to recover damages for injuries that you claim are related to the car crash, you may have a very hard time proving this without documentation that you went to the hospital.
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Call an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer
The third thing that you should do following a car accident is to call an experienced Los Angeles car accident attorney. If you are incapacitated because of serious injuries, then hopefully a loved one will do this on your behalf. Working with an injury attorney as early in the process as possible is important because your attorney can travel to the scene of the accident, gather and document evidence, talk to your insurance company, talk to your doctor and healthcare providers to better understand your injuries and damages, begin calculating the degree of damages you’ve suffered, and start to build your claim. While there is no legal requirement to work with a lawyer, doing so may improve the outcome of your case. It is especially valuable to work with a lawyer when you have been severely injured, fault is disputed, the other driver is uninsured, or when your claim has been denied.
Other Important Things to Do
In addition to the three major things above, our legal team also recommends keeping a journal where you document your recovery, taking photos while at the accident scene if you are able to, staying off of social media until your claim is settled, never admitting fault or giving a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster responsible for managing your claim, and following your doctor’s orders. If you have other questions about best practices or things to do or avoid after a crash, please feel free to reach out to our lawyers directly.
Reach Out to Our Los Angeles Car Accident Attorneys at the Law Office of Fisher & Talwar Today
If you have been in a car accident, or if your loved one has been severely harmed in a car accident, please do not hesitate to call our law firm directly for the services that you need and can trust. You can reach out to us directly by phone or by sending us a message online. We offer free consultations and always work on a contingent-fee basis.