Remember To Take These Actions After A Motor Vehicle Accident
About 20-50 million people are hurt or disabled every year in motor vehicle accidents, and if you are one of them, you might seriously consider suing the other driver because of your injuries. If you plan to do that, it is important that you take the following actions.
Take Pictures and Take Notes
While you might have the official police report regarding your accident, you can provide more information to your lawyer to help your claim. For instance, you can give them a written account of what happened. That way, you do not need to rely on your memory, which could result in forgetting small details that could make a difference to your case.
Disclose Past and Present Medical Problems
If you have had problems with your back in the past or have a knee injury from an accident that happened years ago, you might not even think of talking to your lawyer about it; you might not think it's relevant or necessary. The truth is that the other driver's lawyer or insurance company will try to find out as much as they can about your medical history. If they can prove you have had health problems in the past, they might try to get your case dismissed by blaming your injuries on pre-existing conditions. You need to tell your lawyer about any past health issues you remember.
Of course, it is also important to talk about any medical issues you are currently experiencing. If you have an alcohol or drug problem, you might be embarrassed to admit it, but if the other driver's representatives are able to discover this information, they could claim that you were the reason for the accident. Full disclosure is always the best choice when discussing your case with your lawyer.
Have Your Lawyer Present When Communicating with the Other Side
People who represent the other driver may take steps to get in contact with you. When that happens, you may feel pressure to answer questions or a feeling of eagerness to tell your side of the story. However, you must be certain that you don't say anything that could be misconstrued or taken out of context. To make sure you don't incriminate yourself, call your lawyer before talking to anyone on the other side. Set up a meeting with them where your lawyer will be present.
The actions described in this article will protect you and help you to navigate the legal process. Have a meeting with an accident attorney regularly so that you can talk about more ways to emerge successful in your claim. Click here for more info on this process.