1. Do not give a statement to the insurance company without contacting us first.
There are situations in which you must give a written statement to your insurance company. However, unless you are required to, you should not do so. Additionally, if the case is serious enough to warrant a lawyer, you should probably have one present with you at the statement. We find that the insurance companies take down statements and later refuse to give the injury victim copy of the statement. We think that is wrong, but it happens frequently. We can ensure that you get a copy of the statement.
2. Do not forget to call the police department.
If you are involved in an accident and do not call the police department, they do not investigate. We find that the police generally do a good job of investigating typical car and trucking wrecks. There are certainly exceptions. However, we think it is worthwhile to have the police department investigate the accident and issue tickets. It is also required by law in many situations.
3. Do not neglect to get immediate medical attention if you are hurt.
Many people think they will get better soon. Some do – some do not. Many get worse. When people fail to seek medical treatment for what may seem like a minor injury that turns out to be significant, they have played into the hands of the insurance company. The insurer will claim the person was not really hurt in the accident. When this happens and there is no medical documentation, it may be difficult to win the case. The insurer and the judge or jury may not believe the person got hurt in the car wreck. We recommend that everyone documents all injuries with doctors immediately following the injury, without leaving any issues unstated to the doctor.
4. Do not go it alone without a lawyer.
If you are seriously enough injured to have a lawyer, you should have one from the very beginning.