Personal Injury Lawyer – how to protect yourself.
If you have had a car accident, even if you don’t think you have been injured, there are certain things you need to do to protect your own rights and to protect yourself from claims from other people involved in the accident.
Always call the police even if it is just a “fender bender”. A police report is essential to making any sort of insurance claim yourself for damage to your vehicle or for accident benefits which are available regardless of fault to all insured motorists. A police report is also essential if you want your insurance company to defend you against a claim from another person involved in the accident.
Your next call, after the police investigation is completed, should be to your insurance agent if you have one or to your insurance company directly.
Late reporting of an accident may allow your insurance company to deny you coverage if you are sued as a result of a car accident or create skepticism if you are making an accident benefits claim.
If there is even a hint of you being injured and you haven’t gone to the hospital from the scene, go and see your family doctor for assessment and appropriate treatment as soon as you can. If you can’t get an appointment right away, go to a walk-in clinic for initial treatment. Car accident injuries, such as whiplash injuries, can take days or weeks to develop, and documenting the initial complaint as soon as possible after the accident creates a good foundation for a damages claim.
Then, feel free to call Earl Taylor at Green Germann Sakran at 905-639-1222 x245 for a free consultation about your rights after an accident. There are no upfront legal fees and no legal fees at all unless you recover a settlement or judgment.