When you’ve been in a car accident, life can seem to come to a standstill. You could be dealing with serious injuries. If you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s irresponsible driving, then you deserve justice and compensation. Some settlement offers barely cover hospital bills, let alone lost wages, psychological trauma, and piled up bills from being unable to work. So the question is: How do you get the most money from a car accident in Charleston, SC? The Thumbs Up Guys broke it down for you.
Call First Responders
First, you should call first responders. You might initially think that calling first responders is unnecessary, but this is a crucial step even if it seems like a minor accident. You may not immediately feel injured or have any pain, but it can sometimes take days, weeks, or even months to realize the extent of your injury. It is vital that you get medical attention and have police report the accident.
A minor accident may not require an ambulance on the scene, but you should still take the necessary precautions and get checked out at the hospital. This is important for keeping a record of how you were affected by the accident, especially if an injury takes time to surface. You should always have the police make a report of what happened, as this can help when recounting the information later.
Receive Medical Treatment for Your Injuries
If you are injured in a car accident, it is important to receive medical treatment for your injuries. Waiting too long to be checked out by a medical professional can hurt your case. The insurance company will claim you’re not injured if you wait too long to be treated for your injuries, or have a large gap in treatment. We understand there are many reasons why someone might not receive medical treatment right away, like:
- Waiting it out to see if you improve
- No health insurance
- Lack on transportation
But the insurance company won’t be understanding like us; which is why you should contact a car accident attorney like The Thumbs Up Guys immediately following an accident.
Document Everything
Second, document the scene of the accident. Take pictures and make notes of what happened as soon as possible in order to document everything about the accident. You should get pictures from many angles. As you make notes about what occurred, get the names and contact information of any potential witnesses to corroborate your story.
Documenting the scene of the accident also helps ensure that you won’t forget any details. You don’t want to limit your financial recovery by not remembering something months later that turns out to be important. This also means you want to continue to make notes about how you feel weeks and months later, because your injuries may affect your life differently as time goes on.
Don’t Trust the Insurance Company
Third, don’t sign or agree to anything without talking to a car accident attorney. Insurance companies may seem like they have your back, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes the insurance company wants to speedily dispose of your case, which may not be in your best interest. If you sign something from the insurance company, hoping to get a little bit now and then recover more later on, you could actually be preventing yourself from getting the most from the accident.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
The best answer to “how do I get the most money from a car accident in Charleston, SC?” is to hire a local car accident attorney. This is where The Thumbs Up Guys at Miller, Dawson, Sigal & Ward Injury Attorneys can help. We are a team of passionate and dedicated lawyers who will work to get you the compensation that you deserve. But don’t delay; know your rights and how to get the most money by calling The Thumbs Up Guys at 843-885-8000 or by contacting us online to get your free case review.