Personal Injury / Wrongful Death Lawyer

• First of all, make sure that you receive all the medical evaluation and treatment that is needed. Please understand that insurance agents place a monetary value on your claim based on the medical care that you receive. If you don’t get treated for your serious injuries, there is no good way to value your claim. The medical treatment that you get will describe your injuries much better than you can. The medical bills will be instrumental in valuing your claim. For instance, let’s say you are experiencing significant pain in your foot, but you don’t get evaluated. You may have a fractured bone that will heal on its own. But if you get it evaluated, you will be able to show that the bone was fractured. Broken ribs will often heal on their own, but getting X-rays that show they are broken will increase your recovery. Please also remember that getting evaluated and treated can led to a fuller recovery, which is more important than getting a large financial settlement.
• Keep good records of the doctors, clinics and physical therapy you receive. Keep phone numbers, dates, and any medical records you get.
• Don’t talk with the insurance adjuster. Don’t agree to an amount that you will settle on. Don’t sign anything without consulting with an attorney.
• Wait long enough to make sure that there are no hidden injuries, like concussions, brain injuries or other complications. For instance, many people have significant mental and emotional problems after being involved in a serious car wreck. These types of problems may not arise right after the accident, so waiting for a period of time may be beneficial.

If you are injured in a car wreck, you should talk with an attorney and, depending on the case, you should definitely hire one. Why? First, if you are seriously injured, you will want an attorney to take care of dealing with the insurance company so that you can focus on your recovery. Second, an attorney may be able to discover additional insurance coverage that can increase your ultimate recover significantly. Third, remember that insurance companies are trying to pay you as little as possible. An attorney working for you will try to get for you as much money as possible. Studies have shown the average injured person recovers up to 350% more if they hire an attorney, compared to not hiring an attorney.

I would strongly recommend an attorney here in North Georgia for you. There is nothing special about attorneys in Atlanta that advertise on the TV. Many of those firms operate a volume practice, meaning they need hundreds of cases every month to keep the doors open. They do not provide the individualized experience that I can provide. Additionally, you want your attorney to be closer to you in the event that you have to give a deposition or stop by the office to sign documents or meet with them. If you have to give a deposition, you will be stressed enough. You will not want to travel to Atlanta, but instead, just come to Dalton and be much less stressed.

1. 1. If you are able, get the names and numbers of any witnesses to the car wreck. If they have taken any pictures or videos, ask them to send them to you. The more information you have the better moving forward.
   2. Take pictures of the car involved in the accident, including area of the car that were damaged, and area that were not damaged. If there are skid marks on the road or other marking on the ground that could show what happened, get those pictures as well. If there are injuries, you might also get those pictures.
   3. Cooperate with Law Enforcement investigating the car accident. The police report of the accident will be a vital piece of evidence in any personal injury claim. The more information that the investigating officer has, the better the report that will be written. Do not minimize the impact of the other drivers’ bad driving; be explicit about what caused the accident. This is not a time to be kind or gracious to another driver if their negligence or bad driving caused the accident.
   4. In dealing with Law Enforcement and medical first responders, be very clear about any injuries you may have suffered. Do not minimize aches and pains that you have. Seek medical treatment for any injuries, no matter how small. Sometimes, you are injured more than you realize. It is always best to seek medical treatment. It is better to be safe than sorry. Certainly, do not refuse medical treatment that is offered to you for any injuries that you have received.
   5. In the aftermath of a car accident, you may very well be contacted by an insurance adjuster. You must always keep in mind that, in general, the insurance adjuster’s job is to minimize the money that is paid to you as a result of your injuries. You can refuse to talk with them about the accident. There is nothing that says you have to talk with them. It is best at this point to talk with an attorney if you have been injured in a car accident, and then tell the insurance adjuster to talk with your attorney about your case.
   6. Another important thing to do after an accident is to follow up with all medical treatment in a timely manner. This is no time to be a hero and forgo medical treatment. Get treated. Follow all of your doctor’s instructions. If the doctors prescribe physical therapy, get your physical therapy. If there are medicines or medical devices that are prescribed, then go fill those prescriptions and get those devices. The most important thing is for you to make a full and complete recovery. And doing these things will help ensure that you gain the highest recovery from the insurance company. Another aspect of this is to not have a delay in treatment. If you are hurting now, get treated now. Insurance companies love it when you don’t get treatment immediately. They argue this means you were not really that injured, or that the injuries treated later are the result of some other trauma. So GET TREATED NOW!