Perhaps the most common religious aphorism that is implied in the Bible, but isn’t actually in it, is the Lord helps those who help themselves. We could easily adapt this saying into the law helps those who help themselves. In fact, that’s what we’ll do in this post.
Car crashes often cause injuries, like whiplash and TBIs (traumatic brain injuries), that don’t “feel” serious at the time. Therefore, many victims can get around all right, but they don’t have all their wits about them. People in this situation very commonly say or do, or don’t say or don’t do, things they regret later.
A Lexington personal injury lawyer can easily overcome some initial setbacks and generate a very good result, perhaps even maximum compensation. However, this outcome is much more likely if a lawyer gets a head start. Quite frankly, in the immediate wake of a wreck, victims either give a lawyer a boost or create additional obstacles to overcome. Either is okay, but the former is much more preferable to the latter.
What’s at Stake
We mentioned compensation in a car crash case. This compensation usually includes money for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages might be available as well, in some extreme cases.
“Compensation” is just that. By the time a case winds its way through the legal process and a Lexington personal injury lawyer resolves it, victims have already paid money out of their own pockets, lost money, or accumulated debts. Usually, it’s a bit of all three.
Furthermore, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other noneconomic losses start piling up at the moment a wreck happens. 
Victims need financial compensation to pay these direct and indirect accident-related bills. If Tim swiped Alice’s TV set, Alice shouldn’t have to replace it. Tim should pay. The same idea applies if Tim collides with Alice in an intersection and hurts her.
Victims also deserve compensation. Life is hard enough. When someone else makes it harder, even unintentionally, that someone else should make things right, to the greatest possible extent.
Helping Yourself
Because there’s so much at stake, car crash victims should always immediately reach out to lawyers, even if that means calling an attorney from a hospital room. 
An attorney takes care of first things first. Injured victims need medical care. Only lawyers connect victims with doctors who charge nothing upfront for their services.
These aren’t just any doctors. These professionals focus on injury-related conditions. Since they know how to diagnose and treat head injuries and other such wounds, a full recovery is much more likely.
Lawyers do more than arrange an introduction. They also often negotiate with providers to lower medical bills. If Jimmy’s medical bills are $50,000 and his lawyer reduces them to $40,000, Jimmy might be able to keep the additional $10,000. Kentucky’s collateral source rule is quite complex.
Next, an attorney looks at the available evidence and evaluates your case. Then, a lawyer collects additional evidence, like the information from a vehicle’s Event Data Recorder, that builds up your case and refutes insurance company defenses.
Following a low speed wreck, victims are in a much better position to help themselves. These victims can take photos, get witness contact information, locate nearby surveillance cameras, and give statements to emergency responders.
Hurting Yourself
If possible, victims should give statements to emergency responders. However, victims should also answer questions as narrowly as possible. Never volunteer information, never express an opinion, and above all, never blame the other driver.
Emergency responders are legally entitled to statements as part of their investigations. Insurance adjusters investigate wrecks as well. However, they aren’t entitled to immediate statements. 
In fact, the other driver’s insurance company isn’t entitled to a statement at all. So, don’t give them one. Telephone adjusters come across as affable types, like Flo from Progressive or that guy who runs around with an emu in Liberty Mutual commercials. However, these individuals know how to pull damaging information out of victims, often without them knowing it.
Your own insurance company may be entitled to an immediate statement. If that’s true, keep it very general, like “I was in an accident.” Your Lexington personal injury lawyer can provide more information later.
Adjusters aren’t the only insurance company employees who know how to twist statements. Insurance company lawyers have this same ability. An apology at the scene is a good example. Most Southerners apologize to express sympathy. Legally, “I’m sorry” could be interpreted as “I was legally responsible for negligently inflicting a personal injury upon you.” 
The bottom line is that, if you were in a wreck, try not to say anything to anyone, if there’s any way you can avoid doing so.
Injury victims are usually entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Lexington, contact the Goode Law Office, PLLC. You have a limited amount of time to act. The post Helping Yourself After a Car Crash first appeared on Goode Law Office, PLLC.