Four Myths You Shouldn’t Believe about Car Accidents
It can be difficult to find a reliable source of advice after a car accident. Friends and family may want to help, but they may not be able to provide accurate guidance on how to handle a claim for damages after a wreck. Avoid believing the myths about car accidents listed below, and instead find a trustworthy and knowledgeable Kingston car accident lawyer to assist you in making a claim for the money you’re owed after an accident.
If nothing hurts right after a wreck, don’t waste time going to the doctor.
It’s crucial to visit a doctor right after an accident. Going to the doctor right after your accident will provide an opportunity to receive treatment for injuries you may not even realize that you incurred, as some car accident injuries aren’t immediately obvious. Additionally, a doctor’s records created soon after an accident will provide a reliable source of evidence that your injuries resulted from the crash and were not incurred subsequently (and thus should not be compensated by the insurance company).
If you’re just filing a claim with an insurance company, you don’t need to bother with a lawyer.
Unfortunately, insurance companies are not always eager to pay you the full amount you’re due for your damages. The insurers know that claimants who aren’t represented by an attorney are likely to settle for less; in fact, a manual that was at one time distributed to Allstate claims adjusters included the statistic that claimants who hired a lawyer received two to three times as large a payout as unrepresented claimants.
When you’re not at fault for an accident, you don’t need to do anything.
Always remain active in participating in your case, even if you aren’t the party obligated to pay damages. Make sure the accident is reported to insurers and, if necessary, the police, in a timely manner, and save all receipts from your accident-related expenses. If you speak on the phone regarding your accident, take careful notes on when the call occurred, the representative’s name, and the subject of the call. You may need to take additional steps to prove the damages to which you’re entitled, and rather than scrambling to gather evidence late in the game, compile this information as your case progresses.
I was in an accident like yours, and I got $N, so you will, too.
There are many reasons why not everyone recovers the same amount, even for similar accidents. The at-fault driver may have been more or less culpable in the accident (i.e., may have behaved better or worse, making him less or more responsible for money damages). The victim may have ended up going to trial with a different judge who was more or less sympathetic to their concerns. Finally, your friend may not have had a high-quality attorney representing their case before the court or insurance company. It can be very difficult to predict what will happen in a claim for damages, making it critical to find a high-quality attorney who will diligently and knowledgeably pursue your claims and build the strongest possible case on your behalf.
If you or a loved one have been hurt in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident in New York, find legal assistance to help you recover the money damages you need to get back on your feet, and contact the Kingston car accident lawyers at Rusk, Wadlin, Heppner & Martuscello for a free consultation at our offices in Kingston (845-331-4100) or Marlboro (845-236-4411).
