Practice Areas

You do not have to communicate with the at-fault party’s insurance company after your accident. You may want to speak to them to discuss getting your vehicle repaired and providing you a rental vehicle, but you should never provide a “recorded statement” about how the accident occurred, or you shouldn’t discuss your injuries with them. No matter how friendly or accommodating they are with you on the phone, the insurance company’s goal is to pay as little as possible on your claim. Despite marketing gimmicks, insurance companies are not on your side or looking out for your best interest.

Insurance companies employ experienced professionals who will evaluate your claim. Why shouldn’t you? A personal injury attorney levels the playing field. Hiring a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your accident helps you to navigate safely through each step in the injury claim process. Having an attorney represent you and support your claim forces the insurance company to take your claim more seriously. A litigation attorney has the capability to file a lawsuit should the need arise, which insurance companies do often consider in their evaluation. A personal injury attorney’s goal should always be to obtain the best resolution possible for your injury claim.

The most important thing after sustaining injuries is your health. Medical needs vary from person to person, and accident-related injuries will not always cause symptoms at the scene. It may be a few days before you experience pain or other symptoms that are consistent with an injury. As with any new symptoms, time should be of the essence when it comes to seeking medical attention, and you should get checked out as soon as you begin to experience any pain or other symptoms. When you meet with a doctor after an accident, make sure they are aware that you have been in an accident. Documentation of injuries through medical records is paramount when presenting claims to insurance companies.

If the driver who caused your accident was uninsured, or if they left the scene of the accident without providing information, you may be able to recover for your injuries and damages through your own auto insurance company (if your policy contained uninsured motorist’s coverage at the time of the accident.) In a hit-and-run accident, documenting the accident is especially important, as there may be limited evidence of the other vehicle involved apart from your statement. You should file a police report as soon as you can and take as many photos as you can of the scene, of your vehicle, and of your injuries.

A contingency fee is an arrangement where the attorney does not get paid right away, but receives a percentage of the total recovery for the injured client at the time your case settles. This benefits the client in several ways – (1) there is no up-front or out of pocket cost to the client, (2), there is no fee if there is no recovery, and (3) the arrangement provides an additional incentive for attorneys to ensure an injured client receives the best possible resolution for their claim.