Critical Steps You Must Take After A Car Accident To Ensure Your Injuries Are Treated Properly And You Receive Fair Financial Compensation For Your Injuries And Loss.

PART ONE

Hello Friend, Paul Samakow here,

I’ve been representing accident victims for decades.  I’ve seen firsthand how devastating car accidents can be for those involved, and for their families and loved ones.    I’ve helped people who’ve suffered debilitating injuries get the medical care they need and financial compensation for their injuries and loss.

I’ve also counseled accident victims who inadvertently sabotaged their person injury claims due to their lack of knowledge about the intricate workings of personal injury law and the underhanded tactics often used by insurance adjusters.   It saddens me to hear these victim’s stories and to have to tell them their chances of getting fair compensation for their claim has been slashed by a seemingly innocent mistake on their part.

The purpose of today’s blog is to enlighten you the reader on what you must do if you’re involved in a car accident. It is my hope you share this information with your friends and family, and they do the same with theirs.  If even one accident victim is spared the unnecessary headache, heartache and distress of having their personal injury claim denied due to a simple mistake, than this blog post will have done it’s job.  And if word spreads and this information becomes more common knowledge, all the better.

So without further delay, lets discuss the critical things you must do if you are involved in an auto accident.  There are ten in total, we will go over five today and five in the next post.

1. When you’re involved in a car crash, you’re likely in shock, you may be seriously injured and it is hard to think rationally about the steps you must take to protect yourself in your personal injury claim.   Still, the choices you make directly after a car accident can have a great impact on your personal injury claim in the future.

The number one thing you must do after a car accident is to get as much information as possible from all parties involved.

• Names.
• Driver’s License Numbers.
• Insurance Carriers.
• Insurance police numbers.
• Phone numbers and Email.
• License plate numbers.
• Pictures of the Damages.

The more information you have, the easier it will be to move forward with your personal injury claim.    If the guilty party refuses to speak to you or flees the scene, be sure and get their license plate number and take photos of the damage.

• Do not refuse medical treatment.  Injuries from a car accident can creep up on you.  When you are first hit, your body goes into fight or flight mode and turns off pain receptors that would otherwise be lit up like a Christmas tree.  If EMTs are called, let them help you. If your injuries are not severe enough for emergency transport, but you know you’ve been hurt, go to the emergency room, and get checked out.  At the very least, make an appointment with a medical professional the following day to assess your injuries. The faster you begin treatment, the more likely you are to make a full recovery.

• Be sure and get a police report.  Calling the police after a crash is extremely important.  A police report gives a clear understanding of the facts of the wreck and who was involves.  This proves without a doubt to the insurance company that a crash occurred in the way you claim; who was involved; who was to blame; and the injuries that occurred as a result.

• Report the crash as soon as possible.  Most car insurance policies require you report an accident as soon as it is safe to do so.  When you call, let them know you were involved in a crash and provide them with the other driver’s insurance information.  After that, stop talking quick. Avoid elaborate statements and refuse further questions about the crash. Be pleasant and polite but be firm.  Now is not the time for an interview with an insurance agent.

• Never agree to a recorded statement.  Don’t let yourself be fooled, the agent your speaking to with the insurance company is not on your side.  They are a representative of a for profit business who remains in business by limiting their own liability.  This means anything you say can and will be held against you if it works in favor of the insurance company.

Well folks that’s all for now.   Stay tuned for my next post which will go over five additional critical steps you should take if your involved in a car accident.

If you have any questions or concerns, or if you are reading this after having been involved in an accident, please reach out to our office 703-854-9288 or 301-298-8383.

We are happy to answer your questions and help in every way we can.

Thank you and until next time,

Sincerely yours,

-Paul Samakow