As a Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, here are a few things I have learnt are essential in order to fight a successful accidental injury claim against the insurance company:
The simple rule is if you are hurt, go to the doctor. If you try to be a hero and tough it out, you will be penalized by the insurance company later on for not immediately getting checked out. The length of time between the date of the accident and the first doctor's appointment should be as little as possible. Again, if you are hurt, go to the doctor!
If you don't go immediately to the hospital, your first instinct will probably be to see your primary care doctor. In many cases, your injuries will require specific medical providers-maybe a chiropractor, a physical therapist, pain management specialist or an orthopedic doctor. At my firm, we help our clients locate the appropriate type of doctor.
Skipping appointments or failing to complete recommended treatment just gives insurance companies more room to penalize you later and compensate you less. Also, you may not heal as fast, or even at all, if you don't follow doctors' orders.
Treat conversations with adjusters as you would interviews with reporters. Everything is on the record and anything you say can and will be used against you in an attempt to compensate you less for your injuries. Don't be tricked into thinking adjusters are your friends, so keep your guard up. I advise not to give a recorded statement unless an injury attorney fighting for you says it's alright to give one. Please read my thoughts on.
It's not just a cliché, pictures tell a thousand words. Take photographs of your damaged car, your injuries and of the accident scene. Anything that might be relevant is worth taking a picture of. Also, keep copies of all your past pay stubs, medical bills and records and witness names, along with their contact information. If it relates to your accident or injury, keep it!
The Anderson Law Firm offers free no obligation consultations to people injured in accidents or who have suffered physical harm as a result of someone else's actions. We do not charge you to initially discuss your situation and establish whether you have a claim to pursue. You can call us and discuss your case over the phone, we can set up an appointment for you to come into our office, or we can visit you in your home anywhere in the metroplex.
If after meeting with us you decide that we are the best personal injury lawyer for you, then we will enter into a contingent fee agreement. This means that we only get paid when we win a settlement or jury verdict in your favor. You don't pay us anything up front. We will cover all expenses spent working on your case. Only when we win for you will you need to pay us. If we don't win, then you owe us nothing.
Contact us online now or call us 24 hours a day toll free on 1-800-354-MARK (1-800-345-6-275). You can also call us locally in Fort Worth on 817-294-1900 or in Dallas on 214-327-8000.
