Did you know, there are over six million car accidents in the United States each year? Fortunately, most of them involve only property damage. This is damage to the vehicle and not any of the occupants. However, one in three vehicle accidents involves personal injury to either the driver or the passengers. And on top of that number, two out of every ten accidents lead to fatal injuries. The team at Falk and Klebanoff can help you if you have been in an accident with your car or vehicle and hand your case over to a lawyer you can trust.
For more information about hiring a vehicle accident lawyer on Long Island, New York, please reach out us today. You can give us a call at 516-564-4200. When you call, we can provide you with a consultation and go over the details of your claim.
There are certain things you can do to protect yourself and your interests after a vehicle accident has occurred. Here are some simple guidelines to follow after you have been involved in an accident.
Stop & Protect the SceneDo not ever drive away from the scene of an accident. Ever. Even a minor accident. You can get in more damage if you do. So since you stayed, you can help prevent any further accidents. Set up flares if you have them, or keep your flashers on to warn nearby vehicles. Use a flashlight if it is dark and your lights are not working. You want to be seen if you are on the side of the road.
It is always a good idea to call the police, even if there are no major injuries. You may need them there for a police report to file a claim with your insurance company. Unless they interfere with traffic, all vehicles involved in the accident should remain where they are.
Make sure you tell the investigating officer(s) when they arrive exactly what happened, to the best of your ability. If there certain facts you do not know, make the officer aware of them. It is important to not speculate, guess or misstate any of the facts. For example, if you are unsure if you are hurt or not, simply say so. It can take a few hours for the pain and injuries to surface after an accident. Also, make sure the statements made by others are accurate as well.
And taking pictures of the scene is a great idea. Take pictures if there is visible damage to the car or even yourself. However, do not interfere with any police investigation. If you are unable to take pictures at the scene, then take them as soon as possible after the accident. Your vehicle accident lawyer can review these images.
In most cases, the investigating police officer will obtain this information. However, if the police do not respond to the accident, it is on you to obtain the name, address, and telephone number of all persons involved in the accident. Also, ask to see the insurance card for all vehicles involved in the accident. And if there are witnesses, well, try to get information from them too. Your vehicle accident lawyer can reach out to them in case they need further information about your vehicle accident.
If the police do respond to the scene, all drivers will be provided with a police report number. You can use that number later to check the police report, which also helps with gathering information.
We recommend that you notify your insurance company as soon as possible. Many policies require immediate reporting and full cooperation. Find out if you have medical benefits as part of your insurance coverage. You typically have to pay extra for that type of coverage, known as “medpay,” so you should use it. And reporting it makes sure all your ducks are in a row when it comes to the claim.
Many injuries caused by car accidents do not make their symptoms present until a while after the incident. It can even be two or three days before you feel the pain. But unless you are 100% positive you are not injured, we recommend that you seek out medical attention. At the very least, this checkup will determine if anything happened. And it can go onto the file. However, if the claim goes through AND THEN you wind up needing medical attention you are likely out of luck. So it is important to get this done sooner than later. Even a minor accident can result in serious damage. Perhaps you injured your spinal cord, or you were dazed and suffered a concussion. Getting this checked out crosses the T’s and dots the I’s for your vehicle accident lawyer.
It is good practice to keep all of your accident-related documents and information in one spot. This information should include a claim number, the claim’s adjuster who is handling the claim, names and phone numbers of all contacts from the accident, receipts if you got a rental car, and any other expenses that were a result of the accident. And not for nothing, having easy access to this information will help any potential vehicle accident lawyer (like us!)
Protect your rights with a vehicle accident lawyer on Long Island, New York that you can trust. We can make sure any valuable evidence is not destroyed. And insurance companies want to take statements as soon as possible after an accident, so it is important to have legal advice before proceeding. We can advise you on how to make sure you are fully compensated for your vehicle, while also ensuring you are getting the best medical treatments possible. So please, do not hesitate to reach out to us today for a free consultation. We handle cases for all sorts of personal injuries. Check to see the common personal injuries we represent in lawsuits. Let us help you win your case!
