What to Do Following a Personal Injury Car Accident

In the United States, car accidents kill over 3,700 people a day. Thousands of others are seriously injured every day. Most of these injuries, such as head injuries, are permanent. Head injuries also disorient victims, which means they are not thinking clearly in the wake of a wreck. Therefore, they often unintentionally do or don’t do, some things that hurt their compensation claims later down the road.

Being in a car crash is bad enough. Basically, negligent drivers take advantage of innocent victims, just to get where they are going faster. Insurance companies are more than willing to take advantage of victims again, just to increase their own profits. In contrast, an Illinois personal injury lawyer is committed to maximum compensation for your serious injuries.

DO See a Doctor ASAP

Speaking of head injuries, the brain usually conceals its own injuries. As a result, many head injury victims don’t “feel” hurt. Therefore, they often refuse medical treatment. That refusal is a mistake, from both a medical and legal standpoint.

Medically, head injuries are degenerative. The longer people wait to get treatment, the worse their head injuries become, and the more difficult they become to treat. Legally, if victims do not immediately see doctors, insurance company lawyers often later claim their injuries must not have been very severe, so they are not entitled to as much compensation.

DON’T Apologize

When something bad happens to someone else, like a car crash or a bad grade in school, we often say “I’m sorry” to express our sympathy. In a court of law, an insurance company lawyer can also twist an apology into an admission of liability. So, resist the urge to apologize, or better yet don’t say anything at all.

DON’T Give a Detailed Statement to an Adjuster

Crash victims have no legal obligation to give a statement to the other driver’s insurance company. The same lawyers who twist apologies into admissions know how to twist factual statements into damaging statements. This job is usually easier, since as mentioned, many crash victims are not thinking clearly and do not know what to say.

Similarly, do not give a detailed statement to your own insurance company adjuster. Simply say you were involved in an accident and you will provide more details later. If your Illinois personal injury lawyer handles this conversation, that is even better.

On a related note, watch what you say to an emergency responder filling out a report. Answer the person’s questions but try not to volunteer additional information.

DO Call an Illinois Personal Injury Lawyer

If you do not remember any of the other items on this list, try to remember this one. An immediate partnership with an attorney covers a multitude of sins.

Many victims do not have money or insurance, so they think they cannot see a doctor. Attorneys connect these victims with top-notch physicians who charge nothing upfront. Furthermore, unlike an insurance adjuster, a lawyer is on your side. If you said or did things that hurt your case, a lawyer is usually able to play catch-up and still obtain fair compensation.

This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.

Reach Out to a Hard-Working Winnebago County Personal Injury Attorney

Accident victims are usually entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Illinois, contact Fisk & Monteleone, Ltd. by calling 815-315-0574. Virtual, home, and hospital visits are available.