If you were involved in a car accident in Mesa, Arizona, there are a few essential steps you should take to protect your right to seek compensation for your injuries. These steps will make it harder for the insurance company to fight back against your personal injury lawsuit.
Call the Police
The first thing you should do after a traffic accident is to report the incident to the police. Officers will arrive to control the scene and take a report if there are suspected injuries or property damage of at least $1,000. This report can serve as important evidence as you pursue compensation from the driver who hit you.
Seek Medical Attention
Emergency medical services should also respond to the accident. Accept treatment, and follow up with your doctor or an emergency care facility as soon as possible. Many common car accident injuries take time to manifest symptoms, and early treatment can improve their prognosis. Furthermore, the records of the treatment you receive will come in useful as you seek compensation.
Take Photos
Before you leave the scene, take photos of the accident and its aftermath. Get photos of all the vehicles involved and the damage they sustained, the ambient conditions and traffic controls, and any injuries you may have sustained.
Exchange Information
Arizona law requires you to exchange your name, address, and vehicle registration number with other drivers involved in the crash. You should also get the contact details of anyone who saw the accident transpire, as their accounts could corroborate your own.
Write Down What You Remember of the Crash
It’s a good idea to write down what you remember about the crash while the details remain fresh. A fully litigated car accident injury case can take a year or more to resolve, so your notes will provide a valuable record of what happened when you need to recall the events later.
Avoid Speaking with the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
Wait to speak to any insurance adjusters about the crash until after consulting with your attorney. An insurance adjuster’s job is to get you to say something that will reduce the value of your claim. Arizona’s comparative negligence law reduces your potential compensation by your degree of fault, so you never want to say anything they could use to shift blame to you.
Continue with Your Follow-Up Treatment
Always keep up with your ongoing medical treatment. Go to every follow-up appointment, take your prescriptions, and follow your doctor’s instructions. Not only will doing this improve your health, but it can also prevent the insurance company from claiming your injuries aren’t as severe as you say.
You should also keep all medical bills or invoices you receive related to the accident. Your attorney will use these bills when calculating your medical expenses. If you don’t receive an invoice for a particular treatment, you can ask your doctor to provide one for your records.
Contact Us
If you suffered injuries in a car accident in Mesa, Arizona, contact Valley Injury Team for a free consultation. Our car accident lawyers will review your case and explain the available legal options for seeking the compensation you deserve.
