If you are in an auto accident, there are a number of things you can do to help your attorney, should do the smart thing and retain one, get you the best settlement possible under the unique circumstances of your case.
The best approach you can take to help the investigation of an auto claim is to do the following common sense things:
Make sure to get copies of any accident report prepared by law enforcement investigating the accident. Although the report format varies between states, some of the key features are the same. All of these reports are available to you and give you and/or your attorney valuable information to help your claim.
Take lots of photographs of anything that seems like it might be important (a disposal camera with colored film works, your phone isn’t as good but will work if needed)
a. Please photograph all damage to any automobiles involved in the accident—the interior and exterior are both important;
b. Please take photos of any visible injuries as evidence one way or the other;
c. Photograph the scene of the accident for important clues (e.g., gauge marks, skid marks on the asphalt, any signs or obstructions which might have blocked the other driver’s view).
Have your repair specialist or mechanic check your car for any damage that might be hidden. This will make sure you claim compensation for damages that are not visible in a picture to your naked eyes. Ask your mechanic to make written notes for your attorney’s future use.
Investigate the whereabouts and identity of all possible accident witnesses. Arrange, or try to arrange, getting their statements in writing as quickly as possible. If you delay this, you take the risk of fuzzy memories and thinking. This alone could sabotage your case.
When your treatment for injuries related to the accident is finished and you are discharged from treatment, get together all of the itemized invoices prepared by all of your health care providers and doctors. Also, make sure to get copies of the medical records that correspond to these bills.
If the claim is supported by evidence, get ready to make a “future treatment” claim. To do this, get a letter signed by the physician that states this, along with an estimate of such future treatment’s cost.
If you lost income because of your accident related injuries, make sure to document this time lost with pay records or check register copies from your employer. These documents should show what your pay rate is/was, what actual days you may have missed work due to the accident, and how much money you could have earned during that time.
Do not leave any stone unturned while seeking documentation of each and every part of your damages claim. When an adjuster or other claims specialist realizes that your homework is done regarding this claim, you’ll make their job much easier in offering you a settlement of this matter for an amount that the claim is actually worth.
A good attorney can help with each and every step in this. An experienced Corpus Christi Injury Lawyer can and will maximize your chances of settling your claim for a fair amount of money. If it can’t be settled, that lawyer will be able to take the insurer to court and let a jury decide what the claim is worth.
Are you in Corpus Christi? Were you injured in an Auto accident?
Give Carabin Shaw a call. We can help. Call us at 361.444.1111, local if you’re in Corpus Christi.