What To Do After an Auto Accident

If you have been involved in an automobile accident, there are a number of things you can do to preserve your legal rights and maximize the likelihood of a good settlement at the end of your case.

Important Guidelines After an Auto Accident:

1. Do not leave the scene until you provide your name, address, driver's license and auto insurance information to the other driver, and make sure you get the same information from the other driver.

2. Help the injured. If someone has been injured in the accident, you should call for paramedics and assist them to the extent you are qualified. Before calling for the ambulance, be prepared to give an accurate location of the accident and assessment of the number of individuals injured.

3. Avoid additional collisions. Make sure your vehicle is not presenting a safety hazard to other motorists. If possible, move your vehicle so it is not obstructing traffic. You can further notify oncoming traffic to proceed with caution by setting out flares, turning on your hazard lights, and raising the hood and trunk of your vehicle.

4. Call the police. Often, the police will not come to the scene of an accident if you report nobody was injured; however, if you are stiff or in pain following the collision, you were probably injured and should report your pain to the police. Ask the police to write a report. Typically, the police will prepare a report that contains information concerning the accident and the parties involved. While you may not be required to call the police, the accident report they produce will probably be helpful to your case.

5. . Do not admit liability. You should not admit responsibility for the accident to the other drivers, passengers, or to the police for that matter. You may state the facts of how the incident occurred; it is best not to comment on who is at fault for the accident until you have a chance to discuss the accident with your attorney.

6. Write down all information: the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of any individuals involved in the accident, as well as any witnesses to the accident. Make sure to get the name(s) of the insurance company and policy number of the other drivers involved. If possible, take photographs of the accident scene including skid marks, road obstructions, and damage to the vehicles. In particular, after the dust settles, within a day or so of the accident, take at least twenty photos of your whole car, even the parts that were not damaged. Photograph your car from all angles, and bring the photographs (or the undeveloped film) to the first appointment with your attorney.

7. DO NOT SPEAK WITH ANY INSURANCE COMPANIES, INCLUDING YOUR OWN. TELL ALL INSURANCE COMPANY ADJUSTORS, REPRESENTATIVES, AGENTS, APPRAISERS, ETC. TO CALL YOUR ATTORNEY. You have a duty to notify your insurance company of the accident, BUT you have the right to let your attorney speak to them FOR you. BE SMART: see your attorney first, and let your attorney do all the talking for you. When you hire the Law Ofices of Howard Alan Kitay, we will immediately notify your insurance company (and the other insurance companies) about the accident. In most cases, we will NOT let them take a recorded statement from you, as this will not help your case later on. If ANY insurance company contacts you directly, the best approach is (1) answer no questions, (2) tell them you will have your attorney call them back, (3) call the Law Offices of Howard Alan Kitay immediately, and (4) let the Law Offices of Howard Alan Kitay do the talking for you. In this manner, you will maximize the chances for a successful outcome of your case. Remember, the insurance companies are looking out for themselves, at the Law Offices of Howard Alan Kitay, we work for YOU.

8. If you believe you were injured, go to the Emergency Room. Unlike many Urgent Care clinics, The Emergency Room of a local hospital will see you and treat you whether or not you have health insurance. They will send you a bill later, and we will arrange for the responsible party to pay that bill. If you believe that you may have been injured in the accident, and have not yet seen a doctor, call the Law Offices of Howard Alan Kitay immediately and schedule an appointment to discuss options available to you for medical treatment.

9. Personal injury accidents often cause extraordinary suffering and loss. Injured victims face medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering and loss of enjoyment of life. Many injured victims of accidents do not know they can receive first-rate medical treatment even if they don't have health insurance. If you do not have health insurance, in most cases we can arrange for you to receive treatment by top-notch medical professionals who will wait for payment until the end of your case.

10. Some injuries may not show up for some period of time after the accident; the fact that you do feel pain immediately does NOT mean you were not injured. If you believe you may have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, and have not yet seen a doctor, you should consult your attorney immediately to discuss what medical treatment options are available to you and which ones will maxmize the later settlement of your case. Delays in treatment will make it harder for us to get you a good settlement; if you have delayed treatment, do not delay any more! Call us today.

11. Contact the Law Offices of Howard Alan Kitay. Call today to learn your legal rights. In California, you have two-years to file a lawsuit or be forever barred from bringing such a claim. (Some exceptions to this rule apply; your attorney will consider all the facts and tell you the deadline that applies to your case.) The two-year deadline does not mean you should wait: an attorney should be consulted as soon as possible. It is important for us to promptly investigate the facts surrounding your accident while the events are fresh in witnesses' minds, and the evidence is capable of being documented by way of photograph or otherwise.

Remember, settlements are forever. What you do right after an accident can make a big difference on the rest of your life. Don't take chances. Call the Law Offices of Howard Alan Kitay today.

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The Law Offices of Howard Alan Kitay

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(619) 442-0542