- Auto Accident
- Passenger Injury
- Pedestrian Injury
- Insurance
- Whiplash Injury
- Car Accident
- Sitemap
- Web Resources
Post Accident FAQ
What information should I obtain?
If you are seriously injured in an accident, it is crucial that you seek immediate medical attention. When the threat of danger no longer exists and the police and medical assistance have been called, obtain the following:
- Full names, driver’s license numbers, addresses and phone numbers of all of the drivers involved
- Full names and addresses of any passengers in any of the vehicles involved
- Full names and addresses of any pedestrians or other parties involved
- Full names and addresses of any witnesses to the accident
- If any of the drivers appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, notify the police immediately
In addition, ask yourself these questions:
- What personal injuries did the injured person report? Did anyone say “I am not hurt”?
- What was the exact location of the accident?
- What time of day did the accident occur?
- How were the weather conditions at the time of the accident?
- What were the events that led up to accident?
- Did anybody accept any form of responsibility for the accident? For example, did anybody state, “It was my fault” or “I’m sorry, I was distracted”?
- What were the names and badge numbers of the police officers that were present?
- Did anybody involved in the accident report any kind of personal injury shortly after the accident occurred?
Should I call the police?
One of the most important steps you can take after an automobile accident is to contact the police immediately. The police can investigate the accident scene, take statements from witnesses and most importantly provide proof that an accident actually did occur. Police can also be used as witnesses to your injury at the accident scene.
Even in smaller accidents, it is best to avoid the temptation of “keeping things simple.” You should make sure that you have not suffered any injuries that do not develop symptoms until days or weeks after the accident occurred. Consulting your doctor about your situation and contacting an experienced ~~KEYWORD~~ regarding any avenues of recovery you may have are important post-accident acts which we highly recommend.
When should I contact an attorney?
When the dust has settled and you are leaving the scene of an accident, it is crucial to contact an attorney who is knowledgeable and experienced in the handling of personal injuries matters. The ~~KEYWORDS~~ at The Law Offices of Tony Zirkle will handle your case promptly and with integrity. It is best to contact us as quickly after the accident as you can so we can take immediate action on your behalf. If necessary, we will even have an investigator conduct an analysis of the scene of the accident so as to leave no evidence undetected.
If you or a loved one has been involved in an automobile accident, don’t hesitate to contact The Law Offices of Tony Zirkle in ~~COUNTY~~ in ~~CITY~~, ~~STATE~~ to discuss your rights and potential legal remedies.
Should I contact my own insurance company?
Generally, auto insurance companies require their policyholders to promptly report every auto accident. The insurance company will want to gather all information concerning the accident, regardless of who was at fault. If your insurance company tries to claim that your injuries are not covered, you should contact an attorney right way. Furthermore, if you have questions about the adequacy of your insurance coverage, contacting a personal injury attorney should be your next step.
You should never give a statement to the other driver’s insurance company without consulting an attorney. Keep in mind that failure to provide information to your insurance company on a timely basis could result in loss of coverage for the accident, without it constituting bad faith by the insurance company.
Should I go to the doctor?
It is always a good idea to get checked out by a medical professional, even if you don’t feel like you were injured after an automobile accident. Often times the physical effects of an accident are not felt until 12 to 24 hours after the accident takes place.
If you do feel pain or discomfort after an automobile accident, a medical professional should check you out immediately. Often times after an accident, people will hope that their pain will subside on its own over time. You should never wait to get treatment when your health is involved. If you are injured in an accident and delay finding treatment, your chances of garnering appropriate compensation for your injures drastically declines. A doctor can give a preliminary diagnosis to perhaps minimize some discomfort and future treatment that may be needed later. Always follow the doctor’s advice to the letter and never miss an appointment. Substituting your own judgment for that of an experienced medical professional can be used against you in court.
After you have been seen and diagnosed by a medical professional, make sure to follow up with reports of your injury status regularly. If you fail to follow up, and your injury persists, it will be more difficult to prove that the injury has not gone away.
Should I tell my doctors anything in particular?
It is very important that you go into extra detail when you are reporting your injury to police, paramedics, hospital staff, and doctors. Take the time to identify very specific complaints, and do not hesitate to include every little injury you can think of, no matter how minor. If something in your body does not feel "right" your doctor needs to have this information order to render an informed medical opinion.
Despite the fact you may feel like certain things are no big deal, or that certain symptoms are not even related to the accident in question, it is important to tell the doctor all your complaints. Something as minor as a dry mouth, a light headache, or a little dizziness could be an indication that something more serious has occurred. Anything that is out of the ordinary is a symptom and should be reported to assist your doctor in making an informed diagnosis.
For example, if a patient who has very slight tingling in the fourth and fifth fingers and a minor crick in the neck, does not report the tingling sensation, which might be an indication of major disruption to a cervical disk, the doctor has no way of knowing such an injury has occurred. If the disk then becomes a complete rupture that requires major surgery, there is no way to prove that the injury was a result of the car accident as opposed to any other day to day occurrence. It is far better to have the initial medical diagnosis at the time of the accident, than to wait until your injuries get out of control. By that point, the defense will have the ability to argue that it could just have well occurred picking up a bag of groceries three weeks after the accident.
Should I take pictures of the accident scene myself?
There is no law or regulation prohibiting you from taking photos yourself, so you should take as many as possible. Even when the police take pictures of the scene, you can still have your own pictures for easy access or for use where the police missed something important. It is important to take multiple pictures from as many different angles as possible. Try and take pictures of the scene itself, the vehicles involved, and of the persons involved, particularly if they have suffered an injury. Although it may seem unnecessary, it is worth the time to take about three times as many photographs as you think you might need. If you try and orient yourself based on the four cardinal directions, you will enable an accident reconstructionist to construct a more accurate diagram of the collision.
When taking the pictures, it is preferred that you use a camera with high quality resolution, but if you do not have access to a nice camera, even a small disposable camera is better than nothing. If you need to, you can purchase one at your nearest convenient or grocery store.
If you are unable to take photographs of the accident yourself, contact our ~~COUNTY~~ office immediately. At The Law Offices of Tony Zirkle in ~~CITY~~, ~~STATE~~, our ~~KEYWORDS~~ work with investigators and other expert personnel who often can rush to the scene of any serious accident and preserve and document valuable evidence before it becomes too late.
When should I take photos of the accident?
When it comes to taking pictures of an accident, sooner is always better than later. In particular, if you are trying to get pictures of impending skid marks, pictures should be taken as soon as possible. An impending skid mark occurs when tires do not immediately lock-up and change from rolling tires to skidding tires. When your car applies the brakes, a tire begins to leave an imprint on the roadway before actually skidding. The imprint left behind is the impending skid mark, a faint mark that usually can only be seen on the roadway for a day or two after the collision. Photos of these impending skid marks, when coupled with photos of other skid marks, give a much more accurate and detailed record of the vehicles speed before braking. It is also useful to lay a shoe or other easily measured item next to impending skid marks while photographing them to give the accident reconstructionist a point of reference. This way he or she can later compute actual distances based on the photographs.
If you are not able to take photographs of the accident in a short period of time, contact our ~~CITY~~, ~~STATE~~ office immediately. At The Law Office of Tony Zirkle, our ~~KEYWORDS~~ work closely with investigators and other expert personnel in ~~COUNTY~~ who often quickly get to the scene of any serious accident and preserve, maintain, and document valuable evidence before it is lost.
What about preserving other evidence besides photos?
Gather evidence outside of photographs can be crucial to a future case. It may not seem like it at the time, but having that evidence at your disposal makes your case a lot stronger. Often times valuable information can be found in these small pieces of evidence. For example, in a case where an individual was ejected from the vehicle, it is necessary to check and see if the seatbelt is functioning properly. If for some reason it is failing, then you may have a claim against the manufacturer of the belt. However, if the seatbelt is lost because of a sale of the car, or in instances where the car is later totaled by the insurance company, bringing forth your claim against the manufacturer will be much more difficult if not impossible.
In the event that evidence is removed to another location, make sure to put everyone on notice by certified mail. The list of people to include in this mailing would be owners, tow operators, wrecking yards, police impounds, and the like. In the notice, be sure to indicate that they must take every step to preserve important evidence, and that the failure to do so will subject them to being sued for allowing evidence to be destroyed. It may even be necessary to go to court quickly to get a restraining order and preliminary injunction in order to prevent alterations or destructive handling of potentially incriminating evidence.
If for any reason you are unable to retain these important pieces of evidence associated with the accident, contact our office immediately. At The Law Offices of Tony Zirkle, in ~~CITY~~, ~~STATE~~, our ~~KEYWORDS~~ work with investigators and other expert personnel in ~~COUNTY~~ who may quickly arrive at the scene of any serious accident and preserve, maintain, and document all valuable evidence before the opportunity is lost.
What should i do if the other driver´s insurance company calls me?
If you are contacted by the other driver´s insurance company, do not by any means give them a statement. You will certainly regret doing so if you do. It is important to be polite, but it is also necessary that you decline to speak with them. The reason behind this is that insurance companies' have claims adjusters that are hired as professional negotiators, and will use any means possible to obtain information which can hurt your claim, or even dissuade you from hiring your own attorney.
Although the claims adjuster may sound nice over the telephone, they have received a great deal of training from the insurance company´s own attorneys so that they will ask questions in a way that is designed to hurt you, but help them. Outsmarting these adjusters is not an easy task, and attempting to do so is not advised. Your best bet is to simply say “thank you for calling, but I am not prepared to discuss this matter with you at this time.”
You should seek the advice of an experienced personal injury attorney, who can determine the best way to proceed with the adverse insurance company. Contact The Law Offices of Tony Zirkle in ~~CITY~~, ~~STATE~~ today.
Post Accident FAQ » Attorneys and Lawyers Serving Indiana
Garrison Law Firm
8720 Castlecreek Pkwy
Suite # 200
Indianapolis, IN 46250
(317) 572 7717
Click on the +1 if you like this site!
Warren Park, Benton House, Sunnyview, Beech Grove, Edgewood, Homecroft, Lindenwood, Maywood, Wayne Township, Chapel Hill, Six Points, Westwood, Brownsburg, Wynnedale, Pike Township, Crows Nest, Williams Creeks, Carmel, Fishers, Millersville, Germantown, Lawrence, Cumberland, Greenfield, Wanamaker, Greenwood, Mooresvilles, Maywood, Belmont, Fountain Square