Unlike insurance companies, personal injury law protects the victims of accidents and helps them recover from their losses. Insurance companies, in their flashy ads, claim to help people in their time of need, but all they do is the exact opposite of that.
The above statement is particularly true in a city like Houston, which recorded 4,480 traffic accident fatalities in 2021. The insurance companies in the fourth-most-populated city in the US are not different from the rest.
Insurance companies will actively try to find ways to reduce or reject your compensation claim. This is why you need to contact a lawyer after an accident. The personal injury lawyers in Houston, Texas, know how to deal with insurance companies and obtain fair compensation.
There are some things you need to know about personal injury law. This information can come in handy when you are dealing with a personal injury case.
First things first, in a personal injury case, the person who files the case (the victim) is known as the plaintiff, and the opposition is known as the defendant.
The plaintiff bears the burden of proof, which means they have to provide evidence to prove their case.
The plaintiff has to prove the four elements of personal injury law, which are:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty of care
- Causation
- Damages
You can claim two types of damages: economic and non-economic.
There are many complications in a personal injury case. In fact, every action you take after an accident will directly or indirectly affect your case. This blog post discusses four things a victim should do and their impact. Read on.
Seek Medical Attention
One of the first things you need to do after an accident is to seek medical attention. Getting medical treatment is important for two things:
- You will heal quickly
- You will have proof of your losses
Some injuries won't show symptoms immediately. You can find those injuries by seeing a doctor.
Not getting medical attention can be problematic. Insurance companies will say that you intentionally made your injuries worse by not getting medical attention.
Getting medical attention has a direct impact on your case, as it is solid proof that you have sustained damages.
File a Police Report
Filing a police report is a necessity following an accident. In fact, leaving an accident site before the police arrive is a crime.
The police will arrive at the accident scene and make a report of the accident. In this report, they will include things like:
- Statement from both parties
- Statements from witnesses
- Time and location of the accident
- Photos and videos of the accident
The police report also has a direct impact on your case since it contains information about the accident, and judges and juries refer to this report.
Document Your Expenses
It is important to document the expenses you incur as a result of the accident. Calculating accurate losses is important to win fair compensation. Claiming too little or too high is not favorable for you.
By documenting your expenses, you can make the damage calculation process easy.
Hire a Lawyer
The best thing you can do following an accident is to hire a lawyer. Hiring a lawyer will have a huge impact on your case.
A lawyer can help you in the following ways:
- Investigate the case
- Determine the liable party
- Collect evidence
- Protect you from insurance companies
- Calculate your losses
- Negotiate with insurance companies
- Representation in court, if needed
Insurance companies usually take advantage of victims who don't have legal representation. So hiring a lawyer can give you protection from insurance companies and help you win cases.
Final Thoughts
Everything you do after an accident will have an impact on your case. Even using social media can have an impact on your case. So be mindful of what you are doing. The aforementioned are four things you can do that will have a positive impact on your case.
