What to Do After an Injury
One minute you’re driving down the highway, and the next you’re in an ambulance. What do you do now? How will you pay your medical bills? How can you make sure the insurance company or other driver doesn’t take advantage of you?
No matter where or how you were injured, if someone else caused your injury out of negligence, you’re eligible to pursue compensation against their insurance policy. But you have to follow certain steps to have a successful claim. Keep reading to learn what to do after an injury and receive maximum compensation and protect your legal rights.
Contact our Lake Charles personal injury attorneys at (337) 433-1414 for more information.
1. Seek medical attention.
You’d be surprised how many people choose not to seek medical attention after being injured. Maybe they think they can’t afford it, or they don’t feel any pain.
Not going to the doctor is an enormous mistake that could cost you your health and lots of money. If you decide to file an insurance claim, the first thing they’ll look for is whether or not you were seen by a doctor and have documentation of your injuries.
If you didn’t go to the doctor, the other party will likely assume that you must not be injured and clearly don’t need compensation.
Also, not going to the doctor could cause health complications down the line. Even if you feel fine after the accident, it’s always a good idea to take a quick trip to your doctor or the emergency room.
2. Gather evidence.
To have a successful personal injury case, you and your attorney must prove that the other person or party acted negligently and caused the accident that resulted in your injuries.
If you’re seriously injured you should seek immediate medical attention. However, if you can stay for just a few minutes, gathering the following information at the scene can hugely help your case:
Photographs of the scene.
For example, after a car accident, you could take pictures of your vehicle and other vehicles involved, skid marks or glass on the ground, and street and stop signs.
Medical records from all of your doctor’s visits.
If applicable, you can include your doctor’s prognosis as well as their professional opinion of your recovery time.
Police reports.
This may be more applicable to car and truck accidents, but any time a police officer shows up at the scene, you should request a copy of their report. Officers are trained to include specific details that could prove invaluable to your case.
These reports can’t be used as evidence in court, but they can do a great deal in terms of insurance.
Witness contact information.
Witnesses often play an enormous role in setting the scene and determining the cause of an accident. If applicable, you should try and obtain several witnesses’ names and contact information for your own and your attorney’s benefit.
Medical journal entries in the weeks following the accident.
This is a great way to demonstrate that you suffered real, treatable injuries. Your entries may show how your condition is improving or declining with time, and you can include what you and your doctor discussed about your injury in each of your appointments. The more documentation you have, the better.
3. Hire an attorney for help with your case.
We’ve seen far too many individuals try and fail to represent themselves, and we’re here to show you how valuable a lawyer is to your case. In fact, having a lawyer can make the difference between you having a case and receiving compensation and not receiving anything at all.
Our attorneys have decades of experience representing injured people. We know the tricks insurance companies use to devalue claims, and we know how to prevent those tricks from working.
The Johnson Firm takes pride in putting your best interests first. We’re not here for money and we’re not here for fame – we’re here to protect injured Louisianas from predatory insurance policies and negligent individuals and corporations.
Call us today to learn more about how our firm will work for you.
4. Follow the statute of limitations.
A statute of limitations is a deadline. Even if you’re unsure whether or not to file a personal injury claim, you must follow Louisiana’s statute of limitations to exercise your legal rights. If you don’t follow the statute of limitations and file your case too late, the court will almost certainly throw it out.
In Louisiana, injured people have one year from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. Again, even if you aren’t planning to file a claim at this moment in time, you need to keep an eye on the statute of limitations to make sure you’re giving yourself all possible options.
Contact a Lake Charles Personal Injury Attorney Now
What to do after an injury is often a complicated topic with lots of specifics and stipulations. For assistance throughout the process and beyond, call The Johnson Firm at (337) 433-1414.
We’ll work hard to get you the money you deserve.