People tend to put off things they don’t enjoy doing…dentist visits, taxes, quarterly reports, etc. However, the days or weeks following a car accident is no time to procrastinate. Injuries from a crash can be sneaky. At first, due to the adrenaline and stress, you may not notice your injuries or the severity of them. It may take a few days for the true extent of the injury to become clear. That’s why it is important to seek medical treatment immediately or shortly after a crash. Brad says, “Your auto insurance carrier may see a delay in seeking medical treatment as a sign that you weren’t really hurt when, in fact, it may be more a matter of not understanding your injury or being overwhelmed by the crash.”
It is extremely important to follow the doctor’s recommendations and advice concerning treatment and rehabilitation. If the doctor says you should go to physical therapy, you need to go to physical therapy. The reason is very simple. First and foremost, you need to get well. But secondly, the insurance companies will look at that and make a determination that if you didn’t go to physical therapy like your doctor said you should, then you must not be that hurt. While that may not necessarily be the case, that can be a very powerful argument in front of a jury.
Also, the types of evidence that may need to be obtained for your case must be gathered quickly. Witnesses move and often time feel less compelled to assist with the passage of time.
Thus the importance of speaking to them as soon as possible. The more significant the event, the more likely that the insurance companies will be on the scene almost immediately. Therefore, it is very important to secure both the evidence and get witness statements as soon as possible before anything changes or the evidence is destroyed either on purpose or by accident.
Injured parties don’t have all the time in the world to file a claim. Brad says, “The statute of limitations is the legal timeframe you have to file your suit. If you pass this restriction, you can no longer file a suit or seek compensation. For Texas the time is two years. If it is two years and one day, there is nothing a client can do.” Just because you have a few years doesn’t mean that you should wait to hire a lawyer until the statute of limitations is about to expire. You want to give your attorney the time to properly investigate and ensure that all potentially liable entities are included as defendants in the suit before the expiration of the statute of limitations.
One thing that car accident victims shouldn’t do is rush to accept the first offer from the insurance company. Brad says, “In most cases, the insurance company will swoop in immediately following an accident and offer pennies on the dollar before the client knows the extent of their injuries. Wait and make sure you are well and not going to need ongoing treatment.” An insurance company’s main goal is to minimize the payout so they can maximize their profits. That means that they do not have your best interest in mind. Accepting a settlement from an insurance company may be the quickest solution, however the settlement will be incredibly low as compared to what you rightfully deserve.
At Parker Law Firm, our experienced personal injury lawyers believe people matter. We are committed to our clients, not case numbers, and we believe in the power of the civil justice system. With years spent both representing accident victims and participating in the state legislative process, our founder, Brad Parker, has developed a deep understanding of the law and gained unique experience that helps him get results for his clients.
