Instructions if You Are Involved in a Car Accident

Helping seriously injured victims of car accidents across Florida, including Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Plantation, the Palm Beaches and the Florida Keys.

When a car accident happens, even the most experienced drivers are unsure what to do, and they will have many questions they need answered. Some of the most pressing questions include:

• Who should you call?
• What should tell your or the other car’s insurance company?
• Who will take care of the property damage?
• What kind of doctor should you seek treatment with?

While the only way to get all of the answers an accident victim needs is to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer, the following is a general list of information which may assist someone involved in a Florida car accident until they have time to speak with a lawyer.

What to Do if You Have a Car Accident:

1. Make sure to report the accident to the police, which will provide an official record of the crash and everyone involved;
2. Use your cell phone to take photographs of the roadway, including where the vehicles are located, this will help prevent any future discrepancies about what happened in the crash, as often times insurance companies will later disagree about even the most basic facts;
3. Get the names of the other drivers and the names and policy numbers of their insurance companies, as police reports may not be available for upwards of a week, having this information will help get your claim going sooner;
4. Don’t give statements to anyone, including your own insurance company, about how your accident occurred or the severity of your injuries until you speak with an attorney. While most people think their own insurance company is acting in their best interests, many times your own insurance company will share any statements with other insurance companies;
5. Take photographs of your car before its repaired, this way no insurance company may later dispute the severity of your property damage;
6. Keep your receipts for any medical, hospital or pharmacy payments, as you may be entitled to repayment from your own insurance company for these expenses;
7. Let your treating doctors(s) about any accidents you’ve had before, so your records are consistent. As insurance companies will later claim an accident victim purposefully did not disclose a prior accident or injury, and seek to have a rightful claim dismissed for fraud;
8. Keep a list of all doctors you see or all clinics you visit, so that your own lawyer is able to obtain all of your treatment records to fully document your claim;
9. Tell your doctor(s) all of the pains and problems you are having, no matter how small. Occasionally, those involved in accidents think a particular pain or problem is too small to mention. Later when that problem worsens and is finally mentioned, insurance companies argue that there is no relationship between the accident and the injury;
10. Follow all of your doctors’ recommendations, so that it cannot later be said that you were not compliant with your doctor’s instructions; and
11. Do not sign anything until you have an attorney review it to make sure you are not compromising your rights.

Then contact us ONLINE OR CALL us at:

Toll Free at (888) FLA-LAW8
(954) 693-0073 (Broward)
(305) 821-7333 (Miami-Dade)
(561) 514-3535 (Palm Beaches) or
(305) 296-6300 (Florida Keys)

to schedule your FREE NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION. The call and personal injury consultation are FREE, so do not delay in calling to find out about your legal rights.