Why Getting an Attorney Quickly is Such a Good Idea After an Accident

“Don’t wait – get an injury attorney immediately after your accident!”

“If you’re injured in an accident, get an attorney as quickly as possible!”

You’ve probably heard attorneys say things like this. But do you really need an attorney immediately after suffering an injury as a result of an accident? And if so, why is it so important?

Things Happen Quickly

After an accident, time matters. Yes, your immediate concern after an accident is your health, and perhaps your post-accident finances, especially if you’re out of work or facing medical bills.

But it should also be getting an injury attorney, because a lot of very important things happen after an accident—some, immediately, like within hours or days, after an accident. These are things that, if not handled properly, could affect your ability to get compensation for your injuries down the road.

The Defendant Will Reach Out to You

Immediately after an accident, you likely will be contacted by the Defendant. That may be through the Defendant’s insurance company, or corporate office, but Defendants often reach out immediately to accident victims.

They may ask you questions about the accident. They may tell you what (they think) their, or your, insurance policy says. They may tell you what defenses they have. They may even offer you a small sum of money to make the whole thing “go away.”

Either way, these things happen immediately after an accident—a time when it would be great if you just had an injury attorney by your side to handle these things for you, and tell you what the Defendant is really trying to do.

Your Own Insurance

Even your own insurance will want information and answers. They may want statements, medical records, or other documents. If you don’t respond in a timely way, you could lose insurance coverage.

But your injury attorney will communicate with your insurance company for you, in a timely manner, ensuring you don’t lose the insurance coverage that you paid for.

Getting Medical Help

You may have insurance to go to the doctor, but that doesn’t mean your insurance covers deductibles or uncovered medical expenses. And while your doctor may still see you, that balance you owe could end up on your credit report, or else, the doctor may refuse to continue seeing you until it’s paid.

An injury attorney will work with your doctor, and ask them to continue treatment. At the very least, an injury attorney can negotiate these bills and the doctor will at least refrain from collection activities for a time, allowing you to get back on your feet.

Preserving Evidence

As time goes by, evidence you may need to prove your case, can get lost. Video surveillance gets overwritten or deleted. People’s memories fade. Emails get deleted. Damage to property that your attorney may need, gets repaired or covered up.

By getting an attorney early, he or she can make sure this information is preserved, and can get photos of it, or experts to review it. This can help you prove your case later on.

Schedule a consultation with our Tampa personal injury lawyers at Barbas, Nunez, Sanders, Butler & Hovsepian today for help after your accident, because after an accident, time definitely matters.

Sources:

flabizlaw.org/member-articles/preservation-considerations-when-representing-third-party-subpoena-recipients/

httpsusclaims.com/educational-resources/what-is-a-letter-of-protection-lop/