ABOUT ACCIDENT CASES

If you or a family member needs help with an accident or personal injury case, we will be glad to consider your claim to see if we can help.

Our law office is a professional corporation specializing in handling accident, injury and disability cases.  We have several lawyers and a number of highly trained staff and legal assistants.

We find that our clients often ask us the following important questions:

What do I do if I am in an accident?
If you are involved in an automobile accident, the first thing to do is to check and see if you or anyone else in the vehicle has been injured.  Call for medical providers or an ambulance if necessary.  Then call the police.What do I do after the injured person has been taken care of?

The next step would be for you and the other driver(s) to exchange information including names, addresses, phone numbers, driver’s license numbers, information about each others insurance and policies and phone numbers for their agent.  You should provide the same information to the other driver(s).  You should also obtain information in regards to the other driver(s)’ car including make, model, year, color and license plate number.

What are some other things I should be thinking about?
When the police officer arrives, you should try to remain calm.  You should make a note of the investigating officer’s name, badge number and which police department he or she works for.  You should not tell anyone that you were at fault or how much insurance you carry.  If no police officer arrives at the scene, you should contact them within 24 hours.  You should notify your own insurance company of the accident as soon as possible.

 What about the damage to my vehicle?
At the earliest possible time, you should take photographs of the damage to your car at the scene of the accident. In fact, you should take a photograph or make a diagram of the accident scene indicating the direction of each car, the speed of the vehicles, location of any skid marks and the condition of the street.

When do I need a lawyer?
No matter what kind of accident you have been involved in, you should immediately contact a lawyer for a legal opinion in regards to your rights and responsibilities to determine what your options are and to be certain that your rights are not violated or jeopardized.

If I hire an attorney, what will it cost me?
In a personal injury/automobile accident case, attorneys charge a contingency fee amounting to a percentage of what they are able to get for you.  That fee is paid from the proceeds of the settlement or jury verdict.  You may also be responsible for expenses.

Will I have to go trial or will my case settle?
Every case is different.  Most cases settle before trial, but if it is necessary to properly protect your rights and obtain a full and fair recovery, we are experienced trial attorneys who regularly try jury cases.

Please contact us if you think we might be able to be of service to you. We will speak to you at no charge in the initial consultation and tell you whether or not your case is one that requires the assistance of an attorney and whether we can help.