Car Crash Injury Attorneys

With so many cars on the road every day, car accidents are very common. And unfortunately, a high number of those accidents result in serious injuries. 

If you have been injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation, which can be used to cover car repairs, medical bills, and other expenses.

When pursuing compensation, it is highly recommended to retain representation from experienced car crash injury attorneys, like those at Morgan & Morgan. Contact us today for a free case evaluation and learn more about your legal options.

Preparing for a Car Accident

Hopefully, you will never be in a car accident. But with the unpredictable nature of car accidents, it is important to stay prepared. By being proactive, you can lessen the harm caused by an accident before it ever happens.

To protect yourself from the results of a car accident, make sure you follow these key steps:

Purchase the Best Insurance You Can Afford

Depending on where an accident occurs and the circumstances of that accident, your insurance may be crucial when it comes to recovering compensation after an accident. In many states, your insurance policy will dictate whether you can receive compensation from a claim and how much compensation you may be eligible for.

Since you can’t get different insurance when you are traveling in different states, the best option is to get the most comprehensive insurance possible. In particular, you want as high a limit on injury coverage as you can find. You also want to make sure that your uninsured/underinsured policy has a very high limit.

This means that, regardless of the laws in the state where your accident occurs and the insurance of the other driver, you can be covered after an accident.

Regularly Maintain Your Vehicle

Vehicle maintenance can be a nuisance. It feels like an unnecessary cost when your car seems to be running fine. It also takes time, usually on days when you need to work. Unsurprisingly, because of this, many people put it off.

Despite the inconvenience, you should be as proactive as possible with your car’s maintenance. Worn tires or brake pads can cause an otherwise avoidable accident. An accident can cause you to face more significant losses of time and money than servicing your car regularly would.

Keep Car Crash Injury Attorneys in Your Contacts

After an accident, the resulting stress can be enough to deal with on its own. That is why it’s helpful to choose a qualified car accident attorney before an accident happens, so you do not have to search for one during the aftermath of a crash. 

The best way to do this is to schedule a free consultation with Morgan and Morgan before getting into an accident. You can talk to one of our car crash injury attorneys to learn about our fee structure and discuss what you should do after a car accident. 

Then, if an emergency happens, your attorney will already have your information on file and can act quickly.

Always Use All Safety Features on Your Car

Your car probably has more safety features than you realize. But even if you only take advantage of the ones you are aware of, you can reduce the harm you suffer during an accident. The easiest things to do to protect yourself in a vehicle include:

• Always wear your seat belt properly
• Use built-in hands-free devices or steering wheel buttons
• Check your mirrors regularly
• Turn on your headlights and windshield wipers if there is any precipitation
• Use cruise control when driving at higher speeds
• Pay attention to lane-drift warnings

Some of these safety measures can help prevent an accident, while others will reduce the harm you suffer during a crash. By using safety features diligently, you protect yourself and your passengers.

You should also consider speaking to a mechanic or a car dealership about adding additional safety features to your car. As technology improves, safety features become more effective.

What to Do After an Accident

Car accidents can be overwhelming events. Knowing what to do beforehand can help. 

Seek Medical Attention

If you are in a car accident, the first thing you should do is call 911 for immediate medical attention. Unless you are in a dangerous position, it’s best to remain where you are until medical personnel arrive. Movement can sometimes aggravate an injury.

You should also avoid using your phone while waiting for medical personnel to arrive. Emergency services may need to contact you again, and if you are on the phone, they may not be able to contact you as needed.

Contact Your Attorney

Once you have received a medical evaluation and any required emergency treatment, you should contact one of our experienced car accident attorneys at Morgan & Morgan as soon as possible. 

A Morgan and Morgan attorney can give you advice on how to proceed. Listen to it carefully, and ask any questions as they arise. Depending on the situation, we may even send an attorney to meet you at the accident scene or the hospital.

Gather Information

You will likely need to share contact information with other drivers. You should collect:

• All the information on their driver’s license
• The name of their insurance company and their policy number
• Registration information for their car, including their license plate number
• Other contact information, like a phone number or email

You should also collect contact information for any witnesses if possible. Any of this information should be photographed to ensure you don’t write it down incorrectly or lose it.

Avoid Providing Unnecessary Information

You will probably be approached by a police officer to gather information about the accident. From the moment you contacted a lawyer, you were represented by counsel. Inform the officer that you have legal counsel and that you will give a complete statement when your attorney is present. 

For the moment, only provide contact information.

Schedule a Medical Examination

Finally, even if you think that you aren’t badly injured, you should probably visit a doctor as soon as possible. Many car accident injuries are not immediately apparent and can only be accurately evaluated at a hospital. Soon after the crash, schedule an appointment with a medical provider for a comprehensive evaluation.

Why You Need Car Crash Injury Attorneys After an Accident

One of the most important precautions you can take is to purchase excellent car insurance. However, even if you have good car insurance, receiving the compensation you need after an accident can be difficult, and even the best insurance companies can make receiving that compensation a hassle. That is where a qualified attorney comes in.

How Insurance Companies Can Make Receiving Compensation Difficult

Insurance companies are businesses, and the goal of every business is to make money. The more money it pays you, the less money the insurance company makes at the end of the year. Thus, even if you are properly covered, that is no guarantee that the insurance company will pay you what you deserve. 

Insurers are notorious for denying legitimate claims or underpaying claimants. And they often get away with it because claimants don’t understand their rights or how much compensation they deserve.

How an Accident Attorney Can Help

Your car accident injury lawyer is a source of knowledge. They know how insurance companies work and what they do to minimize payouts. Also, your attorney can accurately determine the true value of your claim. This will prevent you from accepting a lowball offer from the insurance company.

Furthermore, your attorney will take over communications with the insurance company. This means you don’t have to deal with any of the bureaucracy and can focus on recovery.

While you are recovering, your lawyer will collect evidence to support your case and negotiate for a fair settlement with the insurance company. If those negotiations are successful, you can receive the money you deserve for your injuries.

And if the insurance company refuses to negotiate, your attorney can take the insurance company to trial. As soon as negotiations break down, your lawyer will file a lawsuit with the court. And since they handled your case from the start, they can act swiftly to try to make the trial take as little time as possible.