When you have been in a car accident in Tampa, the last thing you may be thinking about is hiring a personal injury attorney. However, you should be. You may be fighting to gather your thoughts, and you may even be taking photos for your car insurance provider. While that is a wise thing to do, calling your insurance company immediately after the accident is not always the best move.
Why Calling Your Insurance without Consulting a Personal Injury Attorney is a Bad Idea
If you call your insurance company as soon as your accident happens, there are plenty of things you may forget to share in that initial report. You may also share information that can ultimately work against you. You do not want to influence the outcome of your claim in a negative way. To avoid doing so, follow these steps the next time you are in a fender bender in Tampa.
Call 911, Then Call Your Doctor
The first step after any major accident on the road is to call 911. Even if you “feel fine” at the time, you need to take precautions. It does not matter whether you want to avoid getting the other person in any trouble. You need to ensure that everyone who needs medical assistance receives it as soon as possible.
Having an officer document the accident is not only helpful for your insurance claim, but it will also come in handy if you end up needing to file a personal injury claim later. As soon as you get home, schedule an appointment with your doctor for a thorough examination. Some injuries or pain show up after the initial adrenaline wears off and time passes, so you should never go just based on how you feel.
Document and Exchange
Do be sure to notate everything that happened and take photos if possible. Exchange insurance information with the other party before leaving the scene.
Call a Personal Injury Attorney
Before you call your insurance, get in contact with a local personal injury attorney. You can find hundreds of Tampa lawyers who will meet with you to go over the details of your accident and show you what to say and do once you file your claim. To find a local lawyer near you, simply search “Personal Injury Attorney” along with your city. For example, if you live in the Bay area, you would enter “Personal Injury Attorney Tampa” in a Google search.
You cannot rely on your insurance company to do everything in your favor when handling the claim. Protecting the insurance company is their priority, not you. A personal injury attorney does more than determine if you have grounds for a personal injury case. They will help you get a fair settlement from your insurance company quickly.
Contact K LAW, for a no-cost consultation with a personal injury attorney in Tampa, call K LAW, PLLC at (813) 866-8600.
