When you leave home to drive to work, school, the grocery store or any other destination, you probably never consider the possibility that you might be involved in a serious motor vehicle accident. One of the things that is most disruptive about car accidents is that there is no opportunity to plan for being unable to work, take care of one’s home, or engage in other ordinary daily tasks.
There are over 1.5 million people per year injured in car accidents in the United States, which amounts to approximately three people injured in an accident every 60 seconds. Because people typically do not expect to be in a car accident, they are usually unprepared when an accident occurs. Since the way you respond to a San Francisco auto collision can significantly impact your settlement or lawsuit, we have provided some tips that can help you avoid compromising your claim if you are injured in a San Francisco car accident.
Exchange Information: If you are involved in a collision, you may be required by law to exchange driver’s license and insurance information. It is also a important that you obtain the names of the passengers in all vehicles involved in the car accident especially if they are injured.
Gather Evidence: The accident scene is freshest as soon as a collision occurs. The presence and quality of the accident scene evidence will diminish over time. It is important to gather evidence or have someone that was in your vehicle but not injured collect evidence. This may include any of the following:
- Obtaining names and contact numbers for witnesses
- Safeguarding vehicle debris that broke off from your vehicle during the collision
- Blocking off the accident with cones and other warning signs to protect other motorists
- Taking pictures of the vehicles, accident site, injuries and surrounding area
Seek Medical Treatment: This is the first priority if you are injured in a car accident because many injuries can be more severe if not treated promptly. When paramedics arrive, you should agree to be transported in an ambulance if the paramedics recommend this course of action. A car accident injury victim should disclose all symptoms no matter how minor they might seem at the time. Regardless, you should see a doctor immediately so that the physician can run diagnostic procedures and initiate treatment. All rehabilitative care and follow up treatment should be completed.
Do Not Communicate with the Other Driver’s Insurance Company: An insurance adjuster from the other driver’s insurance company will likely contact you soon after the accident. Generally, you should not speak to the insurance company adjuster or make a recorded statement or sign anything without legal advice. Many parties to car accident claims try to handle their claim on their own and make mistakes that severely damage their claim. An experienced San Francisco car accident attorney can protect you from this type of mistake.
Obtain Prompt Legal Advice: The moment that you are involved in a car accident, the other driver’s insurance company will be looking for ways to avoid paying your claim. An experienced San Francisco car accident attorney can examine the evidence, including any law enforcement accident report, so that a strong theory liability can be presented to the insurance company. Insurance companies handle thousands upon thousands of car accident claims annually so it is important to put comparable experience behind you.
Contact Us For Your Free Consultation
If you or someone you love has been injured or a loved one has died in a San Francisco car accident, you should contact us as soon as possible because critical deadlines apply. Our San Francisco accident attorneys invite you to contact The Law Office of Ian Zimmerman for your free initial consultation. We are open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., speak Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese, and are available for weekend, evening, home and hospital meetings and visits. We also offer free initial consultations and work exclusively on a contingency fee basis so that you pay nothing if we don’t win your case.