What To Do When In a Car Accident

You’re driving down the road minding your own business, possibly with children or friends along for the ride, when out of nowhere – BAM!  You’ve been rear-ended!  Don’t panic.  What you do after the collision is critical to making sure your rights are protected.  First make sure everyone is okay.  If not, immediately call 911 and have an ambulance respond.  While police are not responding to all car accidents these days, try to get them there.  If you do not have a police report and/or citation of the person who rear-ended you, many insurance companies are denying liability.  We have had a few of these cases where liability is clear, but no one was cited or there was no police report.  After you check to see if everyone is okay (including yourself), make sure you get the other driver’s insurance information, including his name, address, telephone number, insurance company, policy number and the telephone number and adddress for his insurance company.  You might ask the driver how much insurance he has as it’s always a fight to get this information and takes time.  If you retain a lawyer, we can put pressure on the insurance company to tell you as it’s required by state law under certain conditions.  This is very important and often overlooked. TAKE PHOTGRAPHS!  Take photographs of your damaged vehicle from all angles and anywhere there is body or frame damage.  Also take photographs of the other vehicle(s).  If there are any visble injuries (like bruises), take photographs of them.  These photographs will be very useful when you are demanding reasonable compensation from an insurance company for your injuries, medical bills and suffering.   If there is a police report, make sure you get the law enforcement agency and its citation or incident number.  If no police arrive, try to locate witnesses and get their names and numbers.  After you retain an attorney, we can order the police report, witness statements and photographs.  Also make sure you keep a copy of your vehicle’s repair invoice.  If your car is a total loss, that’s useful information for a demand to the at-fault insurance company.  The minimum limit of liability insurance required by law in Nevada is $15,000 per person.  This is usuallly not even enough to pay for medical bills in serious accidents.  If you have uninsured or underinsured (UM/UIM) motorist insurance on your insurance policy, or no-fault medpay (medical payments), those are useful in handling your case.  If you have lots of medical bills and your injuries are serious, usually the minimum $15,000 policy can be demanded and then a claim made on your UM/UIM insurance policy.  We can help you with this and it’s all included in our representation.  If you do not have health insurance, or if you have passengers in your car who do not, no-fault medpay will pay your and their medical bills – no questions asked.  Usually your medical providers will directly bill them.  Also, you do not have to payback medpay, so when you reach a settlement, your medical bills will be lower and that’s more money for you!  After the collision, try to see a doctor, or go to the emgegency department or urgent care, right away.  Try not to wait more than a day or two or this will be used against you.  If you do not have health insurance or know of a doctor, we know many in every field of medicine and treatment who will treat you on a lien basis (you don’t pay them until there is a recovery), and can get you an appointment right away.  Keep a diary of your pain, treatment and injuries.  This will be useful months down the road when you need to make a settlement demand, or testify in court.  Keep track of activities you cannot do or events that you have missed.  If you cannnot pick up or play with your children, or exercise or hike and bike, write that down.  These are important factors when making a demand for reasonable compensation.  Of course having a lawyer assist you during this process is invaluable and most often gets you a much higher recovery, and it’s less hassle for you.  You concentrate on treating and getting better and we deal with the rest.  This firm takes auto accident cases on a contingent fee basis (you pay nothing unless there is a recovery), and all of our consultations are free.  Please contact us if you’re in a rear-end or other auto accident and we will speak with you promptly so that your rights are protected.  We will also help you reduce the amount you owe your medical providers after you reach a settlement at no additional fee.  That’s more money for you!