Author : David SteinI dropped my son off at school today On the front lawn was a sobering reminder of reality The school parked a severely damaged car near the front of the building as a way to get the kids to think about drinking and driving during prom season
As a personal injury lawyer, I know that car crashes and serious injuries occur every single day One statistic suggests that there are 11,000 disabling accidents in the U S each day These are not just car accidents They are motorcycle accidents, rollovers, and collisions of all kinds And, rarely are these simple “accidents” Usually, these are serious crashes caused by drivers that are reckless and negligent
The statistics are getting worse and worse Drivers have more distractions now It used to be that a driver simply may not have been careful, or may not have seen a red light Now, texting, cell phone use, GPS systems and all sorts of other gadgets constantly fight for the attention of drivers when they should be focused on only one thing: driving safely
Furthermore, like the car on the lawn of my son’s school, more and more serious injuries are being caused by drunk drivers This is a serious and growing problem
When I am contacted by a person injured in a car accident, the first thing I do is make sure my client knows their rights under the law The most important of these is the right to take your time to get the treatment and care you may need
As a result in the increase of car accidents, insurance companies are fighting harder to limit their exposure The quicker they settle your claim, or trick you into limiting your treatment, the less exposure there is for their insurance company
When you are injured in a car crash, the first thing you should do is to get well Focus your attention on your medical care and seek the best help available The last thing you should do is to start negotiating with the insurance claims adjustor The adjustor’s goal is very simple: limit your claim and their company’s loss The first thing they will do is to ask to interview you and take a statement Next, they will attempt to direct or limit your treatment and then get you to sign a release as quickly as possible Do not fall prey to this! Take your time to mend Then, get some advice
If you have been injured, you are entitled to compensation for medical bills, future medical expenses, rehabilitation and pain and suffering These claims take time to evaluate and should not be rushed by aggressive insurance companies
Injuries manifest themselves over time It sometimes takes months to understand how a serious car accident has affected your body When evaluating a case, you need a complete understanding of all of your injuries, your potential medical costs, and whether your life has taken a permanent change as a result of the crash Generally, you have two years to either settle a case for personal injury or to commence a lawsuit Use this time wisely
It may sound tempting to “do it yourself” when it comes to handling a personal injury claim However, an experienced personal injury lawyer will know how to maximize the value of your claim He or she will know how to fully evaluate and present your case, how to deal with the adjustors, and how to counter the legal maneuvers that you may face along the way
Remember, when you are hurt in an auto accident, you have legal rights One of those rights involves taking the time to heal and evaluate your case The biggest mistake you can make is to rush into a hasty decision Take the time to get well Get good medical treatment And, get advice from a lawyer experienced in personal injury law He or she will be a skilled advocate on your behalf
When you are ready - only after you have considered all the compensation to which you may be entitled - allow your lawyer to negotiate a settlement on your behalf Your rights include time, and the ability to consult legal counsel These rights cannot be taken away by an insurance claims adjustor So, make sure you protect them David K. Stein is a personal injury lawyer in Columbus, Ohio and is Senior Partner of Stein Chapin & Associates, LLC.
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