What Happens After A Car Accident? Here’s What You Need To Do

March 18, 2023

There is no such thing as an “accident-free” day in California. According to recent surveys, over 200,000 car accidents resulting in injuries occur yearly in California.

Have you recently added to those statistics?

If so, you might ask if you need to seek legal help after a car accident from an experienced law firm such as Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel. The short answer is, “Yes, you should.”

Before that first consultation with the attorneys, you’ll need to prepare. So this is what you need to do:

Gather the Important Documents

You’ll need to bring some important documents to your first attorney consultation. These will be the documents that the attorneys will use to build a case on your behalf.

Here’s the list of documents to have for your consultation:

All medical records
Doctor’s prescription for future treatments
Costs of co-pays and treatments
Prescription costs
Vehicle repair estimates/costs
Any evidence gathered at the scene, such as photos and witness statements
Police reports
Witness contact information
A copy of your insurance policy
Proof of lost wages

That might seem like a lot of paperwork to pull together. However, every one of those items will be an essential piece of evidence that will help the attorneys create the claim on your behalf. The sooner they have that information, the quicker they can find a resolution.

Questions for the Attorneys

Your attorneys will ask you many questions about the accident and the aftermath. However, you also will have the opportunity to ask your own questions.

The cost of hiring a personal injury attorney would be at the top of the list of questions.

You’ll be happy to know that the Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel attorneys will work on a contingency fee. They only get paid if you get paid. That also means they will only represent you if they believe your case has merit.

You can also ask about the attorney’s track record of success and how long they’ve been working on these types of cases.

You will want to ask how long you think your case could take. Additionally, you’ll want to find out

the best way to contact your attorneys.

Writing down all the questions you want to be answered by the attorneys is fine. You want to leave that first meeting wholly informed about the future of your case.

Let the Attorneys Talk for You

When you enter into an agreement with your attorneys, they get to do all the talking for you. That begins with taking over the communications with the insurance company.

Insurance companies would like to find a fast resolution for any claim as long as it benefits them. So they might try to get you to sign documents or answer questions about the accident under the guise of “moving things along.” But, of course, none of that should happen without your attorney’s involvement.

Focus on Recovery

During this time, you will recover from your injuries. Therefore, you must follow all your doctor’s prescribed treatments.

For instance, if you have been prescribed ten sessions of physical therapy, you need to attend all ten sessions, even if you feel better after the sixth session. Failure to comply with your doctor’s instructions could be evidence against you.

Your social media posts can also be used as evidence. It is a good idea to refrain from making any social media posts until there is a final settlement for your case. Even then, you don’t need to share the information online.

In Conclusion

Car accidents that result in serious injuries are traumatic. That stress and anxiety continue with the uncertainty of how to be compensated for medical expenses and lost wages.

Speaking with experienced attorneys can help reduce anxiety. That will give you the information you need to proceed with your claim.