There’s always a lot to do in the wake of a wreck, which is why many car accident victims can be confused about what to tackle first. If you were recently involved in a collision and you don’t know where to start, your first priority should be your health.
Visit a doctor right away to ensure the prompt treatment of all impact injuries. Even if you feel relatively fine, you may have sustained some kind of bodily damage that has latent symptoms.
Immediately after visiting your doctor, your first call should be to an auto accident lawyer. Read on to learn why it’s so important to speak with a lawyer right away:
1. Valuable Evidence May Not Be Available Indefinitely
Hiring an attorney right away will give your legal team the chance to gather time-sensitive evidence before it’s altered or destroyed. Black box data, for example, which can reveal what happened in the moments leading up to the wreck, will eventually be overwritten.
Most event data recorders have enough storage capacity to retain data from the last 30 days, so you may have little more than a month to obtain such evidence from the other party. Your lawyer can send evidence preservation letters to all those who were involved in the collision requesting that they take the steps needed to save their black box data until your legal team can obtain it.
2. It’s Easy to Jeopardize Your Claim Inadvertently
Unless you’re well-versed at navigating personal injury proceedings, it’s fairly easy to make a critical misstep early on that ends up threatening the outcome of your claim. If you hire an attorney right away, you won’t have to worry about jeopardizing your case inadvertently because they will handle all the logistics on your behalf. They will also ensure you avoid some of the most common mistakes plaintiffs make, like posting about the accident on social media.
3. The Insurance Adjuster Will Probably Be Crafty
Insurers have all kinds of strategies for devaluing legitimate claims. Fortunately, a seasoned lawyer will be aware of all such strategies and can serve as a kind of shield, handling all correspondence with the insurance adjuster on your behalf.
4. The Damages Will Start Accumulating on Day One
From medical bills to lost wages, the damages that arise after an accident can add up fast. If you don’t start tracking them from day one with the help of a knowledgeable attorney, there’s a good chance you’ll overlook at least a few recoverable losses, thereby leaving money on the table.
Speak with an Auto Accident Lawyer in a Free Consultation
If you were hurt in a wreck through no fault of your own, turn to Ogborn Mihm, LLP for strategic legal guidance from day one. We have offices in Denver, Los Angeles, and Sioux Falls. Call (303) 592-5900 or use our Contact Form to set up a case review with an auto accident lawyer.
(303) 592-5910