Defending Your Rights To Compensation

Car accidents can be jarring, physically and emotionally. The very first concern after an accident is whether everyone is okay. The truth is, with the adrenaline of the crash pulsating through the individuals involved, you may not know the full impact of the accident immediately.

In the minutes that follow a car accident, your highest priority is the welfare of everyone involved and to ensure that anyone injured is taken to the nearest medical facility for treatment. This is also a critical time for you to preserve potential legal claims that you may be entitled to under the situation. Immediately after an accident, everything you say and do can affect the outcome of a personal injury lawsuit or claim that you may have against the other party or person responsible for your accident. Binder Law Group’s Encino car accident attorneys can protect you and your entitlement to financial compensation when you call us.

Contact us today for a free consultation online or by phone at (818) 659-8588 after you’ve been injured in a car accident. The sooner you call, the sooner we can help you heal and pay your bills.

What are Frequent Causes of Car Accidents?

Car accidents can happen at anytime and anywhere. They are caused by numerous reasons.

The most common reasons for car accidents include:

• Speeding
• Failure to Signal When Switching Lanes
• Reckless Driving (Swerving, Rapid Lane Changes)
• Damaged/Dangerous Roads
• Road Work
• Driving Under the Influence of Drugs/Alcohol
• Severe Weather
• Not Obeying Traffic Rules
• Distracted Driving
• Fatigue

If you have been involved in a car accident and sustained bodily or vehicle harm, please reach out to our Encino car accident attorneys at Binder Law Group. We are here to help guide you through the process, call us today.

What To Do After An Accident

If you have just been in a car accident, your first step should be to seek medical attention. After getting medical attention and care, your next step should be to contact a lawyer about your situation.

Other important steps after an accident include:

• Calling the police to report the car accident: If anyone is injured, immediately call 911. The police are responsible for preparing and filing the accident report
• Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver
• Some injuries are not always immediately apparent. Even if you feel fine after an accident, visit your doctor for a complete examination and seek appropriate medical treatment for any condition arising from the accident. Waiting a few weeks or longer to see a doctor may be used by the insurance company as a defense that the accident did not cause your injuries, making it more difficult to recover your damages
• Using your smartphone, take pictures of the accident scene, your vehicle, and the other vehicle to help reconstruct the accident
• Gather names and contact details of eyewitnesses to the accident. Their statements may be taken at a later time
• Do not discuss how the accident happened: While you may inquire from the other driver if he and the other car’s occupants are okay, do not discuss how it occurred. Any statement that you make at this time can potentially harm the value of your legal claim
• Engage the services of an experienced accident attorney to help you present your claim with insurance companies. Insurance companies will attempt to deny or pay out as little as possible for an insurance claim

What Should You Not Do After A Car Accident?

Being in a car accident can be overwhelming, the shock may lead you to forget to take necessary steps.

Do NOT do the following after getting into accident:

• Flee the scene
• Forget to call 911 if someone is injured
• Fail to maintain your calm and collected attitude
• Forget to document the accident (take photos, take pictures of the other driver’s license)
• Admit to fault
• Speak to the other drivers’ insurance without an attorney present
• File a lawsuit alone

Who Should Receive The Accident Call?

If you or a loved one is involved in an accident, you will absolutely want to notify the authorities and take care upon their arrival that a thorough report is recorded at the scene.

Depending on where you are, the law enforcement agency may differ from local police, highway patrol, or even state authorities. It is possible that you may have to insist on the authorities arriving and completing a Traffic Collision Report. Do not relent. Call 911 and request an emergency response before anyone leaves the scene. This report is important to your case and will contain the information necessary to move forward with a claim, including the name, contact data, and insurance details of the other driver. Witness information will also appear on the report, allowing you – or your attorney – to contact them later to confirm the details of the event. Recording this information at the scene will allow first-hand interviews to appear in the investigative report while the information is fresh in the minds of both drivers and witnesses alike. Injuries will be documented, as well as any complaints made at the scene, allowing a clear record of fault to be established by the responding authorities.

Sharing Information With Insurance Representatives

As an insured motorist, it is each driver’s duty to notify their insurance company that he or she has been involved in an accident and to cooperate with their inquiries regarding the claim. You are certainly and absolutely under zero obligation to talk to the other driver’s insurance company, nor disclose any details of the investigation until you speak with an attorney.

Do not help the other driver’s insurance company create a case against you at any time. You are not obligated to answer any of their questions and are certainly not required to provide a recorded statement to them at any time – no matter what they say.

If you feel pressure from the other driver’s insurance company in any way, contact one of our Encino car accident attorneys right away. This will keep you from delivering any possibly incriminating statements, even without your knowledge. For lack of a better expression, insurance companies can be tricky in seeking the answers they want recorded. No matter what the other party’s insurance company says, you are absolutely under no obligation to provide them with any information, at any time.

How We Can Help

Our Encino car accident attorneys can help recover damages from medical bills and lost wages to property damage and pain and suffering.

Get started on the recovery process today and call our Encino bicycle accident attorneys at (818) 659-8588.