There are a number of key actions that a person must take in the aftermath of a major accident. These steps are necessary in order to put an injured person on a course to obtain the justice (and compensation) to which he or she is entitled.
Document the Accident and the Aftermath in a Comprehensive Fashion
In the aftermath of an accident, an injured person must document the event and collect and maintain all relevant evidence. This includes everything from photos of the accident scene to witness statements to medical records associated with the post-accident medical treatments.
Make All Deadlines Associated with a Claim and a Lawsuit
Although this may seem elementary, the reality is that time and again a person without legal representation misses important deadlines when trying to get justice following a major accident. The reality is that insurance policies or contracts oftentimes include language that is not entirely clear regarding when (and how) claims must be filed. In addition, each state has what is called a statute of limitations. The statute of limitations establishes the deadline by which a lawsuit must be filed in a personal injury case.
The failure to meet these various deadlines — and it happens with surprising frequency to unrepresented individuals — can have dire consequences. Missing a claims deadline or the statute of limitations can result in a person being precluded from obtaining compensation to which he or she otherwise would have been entitled.
Retain a Personal Injury Attorney
In the grand scheme of things, engaging the services of an experienced, skilled personal injury attorney can be the most important step to take in order to get justice following a major accident. The reality is that the insurance claims settlement process is stacked against an injured person in any number of ways. Personal injury law is highly complicated. Court procedures associated with personal injury lawsuits are extremely complex. In short, a person lacking in legal training simply does not have the experience, tools and resources necessary to effectively fight for his or her rights following a major accident (Source: Yearwood & Company).
A person is able to assess the various ways in which a personal injury attorney provides assistance in the aftermath of a major accident through what is known as an initial consultation. The initial consultation is an appointment with a lawyer during which the attorney is able to generally assess the facts and circumstances of a case. The lawyer shares what strategies are available to work towards obtaining the compensation to which a person is entitled following a major accident caused by someone else’s negligence. As a general practice, there is no fee is charged by an attorney for an initial consultation.
This article is from Lizzie Weakley, a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. She went to college at The Ohio State University where she studied communications. She enjoys the outdoors and long walks in the park with her three-year-old husky Snowball.
