There are certain things you need to do after your North Carolina car accident. As long as you file an insurance claim and follow these steps, you shouldn’t run into any problems with the insurance company. In fact, one of the first things your North Carolina personal injury attorneys will ask is whether you missed any of these steps.
The steps you should take immediately following your car crash are as follows:
- Call 911 – You have to call the cops to come out and investigate the crash. Not only is this required by law, but your attorney will need a copy of the police report to prosecute your case.
- Go to the emergency room and seek medical treatment – You can’t wait days or weeks to go to the doctor’s office. When the officers arrive on the scene, they’ll arrange to have an ambulance transport you to the local hospital. Do not refuse this treatment.
- Call a seasoned accident lawyer to help you file an insurance claim
You may be wondering why we recommend that accident victims should call a car accident lawyer to help file an insurance claim. The good news is that we’re going to explain why this is a good idea here. We’ll also explain what can happen if you try to handle the claim all by yourself.
Should You Hire an Attorney Before or After You File an Insurance Claim?
One of the questions a lot of our clients have is when they should reach out to a lawyer. They tell us they go online and search for “top auto accident lawyer near me.” They get so overwhelmed with the number of firms that pop up, they put their laptop away and push it to the back of their minds.
The truth is that you should retain an experienced North Carolina personal injury attorney prior to contacting your car insurance company. This way, you can rest assured that when you file an insurance claim, it will be handled properly from the start.
Our attorneys make sure that your claim is filed properly. This way, you don’t have to worry about your claim being denied. You also don’t have to worry about the insurance adjuster taking advantage of you. Once they find out you’re represented by an attorney, they move your claim up to the top of their pile.
Don’t Provide a Statement Without Speaking to Your North Carolina Personal Injury Attorney
The day after your car accident, you’ll probably get a call from the insurance company. They’ll ask you to provide a statement of what happened on a recorded line. Whatever you tell them on this call will be treated as your formal version of the events leading up to the crash.
If you say the wrong thing on this call, it could have a negative impact on your claim. This is why we recommend you talk to a North Carolina personal injury attorney before you talk to the insurance company or file an insurance claim. They’ll make sure you don’t make any statements against your interest. They’ll also make sure you don’t misunderstand a question and hurt your case.
Once the insurance adjuster realizes you found one of the top auto accident lawyers near you, they’ll back down a bit. They won’t try to paint you into a corner. They do this, hoping you’ll trip up and make it look like you were at fault. Your attorney won’t let this happen to you.
Your North Carolina Personal Injury Attorney Will Make Sure Your Claim is Filed on Time
Every auto insurance policy spells out the rules that apply to reporting a car accident. The problem is that most people don’t read them until it’s too late. If you don’t follow these rules and file an insurance claim in time, they can deny payment. Usually, by the time our clients come to see us, they’ve already had this happen to them.
Our lawyers understand that the insurance companies look for reasons to deny claims. If they were to pay out on every claim that comes across their desks, the company would go bankrupt in no time. This is why they are rather vague about how long you have to report your claim.
Most insurance policies simply state that you must report your car crash within a “reasonable period of time.” Unfortunately, everybody has their own idea of what is reasonable. You may feel that it’s okay to file an insurance claim two months after your crash. Other people may think a week is too long to wait to file a claim. Your North Carolina personal injury attorney will make sure the company gets your claim with plenty of time to spare.
Top Auto Accident Lawyers Near You Are Familiar with Insurance Adjusters’ Tactics
One thing we like to remind our clients about is the fact that our associates know what trick insurance adjusters use when reviewing your claim. Their goal is to find a legitimate reason to deny your claim. They figure if they deny your claim, you’ll walk away without putting up a fight. The good news is that the top auto accident lawyers near you will put up a fight for you.
Call a Skilled North Carolina Personal Injury Attorney Right Away
As stated earlier, you don’t want to waste any time hiring one of the top auto accident lawyers near you. There’s too much at risk to try to handle this on your own. If you don’t have an attorney, the insurance company is going to try to take advantage of you. They won’t answer your calls and emails. They’ll pressure you to accept a low settlement and ask you to sign a settlement release. Our advice is that you should never sign any kind of release without first showing it a North Carolina personal injury attorney.
Keep in mind – there is no law that says you must hire an accident attorney. You have every right to file an insurance claim all by yourself. It’s just not a good idea. Unless you work in law or the insurance industry, you likely have no working knowledge of the claims process. Our attorneys do. They know how the insurance adjusters work and they know what high-pressure tactics they use. Don’t let them take advantage of you at a very vulnerable time in your life. Call our office and schedule your free, initial consultation instead.
