The other day we got a call from an individual who wanted to know, “What do I look for in an attorney regarding a personal injury case in New York City?” The answer to that question is you want to make sure that it’s an attorney who practices personal injury litigation. That means an attorney who knows how to prosecute an automobile accident case, who knows how to prosecute a truck accident case, who knows how to prosecute a slip and fall case, who knows how to prosecute a construction case, etc. You also want to make sure it’s an attorney that you feel comfortable with. You and that attorney are going to have a relationship throughout the case, and you want to be sure it’s somebody that you feel is going to be looking out for your best interest. These are the important things that you should always consider when deciding on who you would want to handle your personal injury case.
Mistakes to Avoid After a Personal Injury
What are the common mistakes that a personal injury victim would want to avoid? One mistake is not seeking medical attention right after the accident occurs. You should always go see that doctor. Go to the hospital. Go to the emergency room. Get yourself checked out.
Another mistake is not staying for the police, not waiting for the police to arrive at the scene, if it’s a car accident especially. You have an obligation to wait. We have had so many clients call me who were in pretty bad accidents but, for whatever reason, they didn’t wait for the police to arrive and left the scene. They may have gotten information on the other driver, but they didn’t have the police there to document what happened.
Another mistake that victims often make is they don’t take the time to take photographs of the scene— when they’re able to do it, that is. An injured victim is not always in a position to take photographs at the accident, but, certainly, if you can do it, you want to do it and you want to do it as quickly as possible. The most important thing that you should do is call an attorney before speaking with the insurance company. You always want to get the advice of counsel before you get on the phone with an insurance carrier.
Personal Injury Insurance Investigation
Clients often call and say, “The insurance company just called. Should I talk to an insurance company after I’m involved in an accident?” The answer is you should seek counsel first. First, speak with an attorney. An attorney will know exactly what to say to the insurance company. The attorney will know exactly what issues are going to come up and will be in a better position to discuss those issues with the insurance carrier.
The insurance carrier is there to protect the insurance carrier’s assets. While they may have an obligation to you as maybe the insured, they’re always going to be looking to protect their assets. The wiser thing to do is to have an attorney get involved and make that first connection with the insurance company.
Contact the Law Offices of Brian J. Elbaum today for a free case evaluation.
