What To Do If You Are In An Accident
Remember that the insurance company is not your friend.
Insurance companies go out of the way to advertise how fast, neighborly, generous, kind, understanding, patient, and friendly they are -- especially when they are trying to sell you one of their policies. It continues to be true for as long as you make your insurance premium payments on time without asking for anything in return. However, policyholders forced to present a claim often learn that this is more advertising PR than reality.
If you are injured in an accident, get medical attention immediately. At the same time, to the extent you can you should be keeping a record that will help protect you should you need to file a claim. File a police report, either at the scene or as soon as possible afterward. Try to get names and contact information from any witnesses. If you’re able, write down exactly what happened as soon as possible after the event.
Accident scene photographs often provide valuable evidence that can’t be duplicated after the fact. And, of course, talk to a a good lawyer as soon as possible so that you can get advice about how to proceed, what kind of records you should be keeping, and how to handle the inevitable phone calls from the insurance company, trying to get you to sign a release.
Here is a quick checklist:
- Photograph your injuries
- Keep notes, including
- Medical appointments/treatment
- Medications
- Physical Therapy sessions (including progress & limitations)
- Record lost work time
- Note pain and limitations
- Record expenses incurred as a result of injuries/limitations
- Document conversations/information received from
- Doctors and other medical professionals
- The insurance company
- Keep all receipts, prescription records, etc.
