You need to bring some information with you when you come to meet with your attorney for the first time. This information is very important in terms of allowing your attorney to determine whether you have a case. For example, your attorney will ask you for the following information:

The date of the accident;

Where the accident occurred;

What the weather was like;

A description of what happened;

Names and contact information for any passengers;

If there were any witnesses, their names, addresses, and telephone numbers;

Who was injured and a list of their injuries;

If you have received medical treatment, the names and locations of all the hospitals and doctors that have treated you;

A description of the injuries that you suffered;

The name of any police officer who came to the scene;

The police report number;

If you have lost any wages because you were unable to work due to the accident; and,

Any information you received from the other driver, such as their name, contact information, or insurance.

CALL the police

If you are in a car wreck, you should call 911 as soon as possible. Contact law enforcement and emergency medical service for immediate attention.

COLLECT information

Gathering evidence at the scene is important. Take pictures and video of the scene, the position of the vehicles, and the damage to the vehicles. If there are witnesses, get their contact information right away and ask them to stay until the police arrive. Often a witness statement is the pivotal piece of evidence needed to win a case. Get the police report number from the officer. Later after the wreck, write down everything you remember about the wreck, including the weather, if your body hit any part of the inside of your vehicle, what you saw in the moments leading up to the accident, and any other details that come to mind.

CARE for yourself

If you are injured, it is very important to seek medical treatment right away. Some injuries, like a concussion, back injury or neck injury, may not become apparent until hours or days after the wreck. If you feel pain or stiffness, seek medical attention as soon as possible for two reasons: (1) to determine your injuries and start the healing process, and (2) to document your injuries. An insurance company will use everything it can to attack you, blame your injuries on something else, or claim you are not actually injured. It is vital to document your injuries by telling a medical provider about all that hurts you after a wreck. Also, take pictures of any cuts, bruises, scrapes or other injuries. A picture is worth a thousand words.

DO NOT give statements to insurance

If you are contacted by the other driver’s insurance company, do not give any statements about the accident or your injuries. The insurance representative may seem kind, but, in reality, they are trained to ask you questions that will hurt your case and save the insurance company money.

DO NOT post on social media

While it may seem natural to post about your accident on social media, public posts may be used against you in court and can diminish the potential value of your case. Insurance lawyers are trained to take a post or picture out of context and use it to prove your injuries are less severe than they are.

DO NOT wait to go to the doctor

If you have any pain, stiffness, or discomfort, it is very important to seek medical attention right away. Seeing a qualified medical provider is the only way you can be sure you are getting the care you need to recover. Insurance companies will use any “gaps in treatment” or delay in treatment to attack you and your injury claim. It is vital to have medical documentation of your injuries and treatment.

DO NOT sign any documents or accept any money from an insurance company before contacting Conway Law

An Insurance company’s goal is to pay as little as possible for your case. Insurance companies will try to offer a low settlement right after a wreck before you know the extent of your injuries in order to end your case. It is important to avoid signing any documents that waive your right to pursue compensation for your injuries, even if you feel uninjured in the moment. This ensures that if your injuries appear later on after the adrenaline from the wreck is gone, you will still be able to file a claim for compensation.

We often speak with clients who believe they do not need a lawyer or are told by insurance adjusters that they do not need a lawyer. Unfortunately, some people take that advice and try to handle their case alone. Most of those people are taken advantage of by the insurance company and settle their case for significantly less than is reasonable. In other situations, the insurance adjuster will delay, delay, delay hoping that the injured person will take a small settlement when the statute of limitations is about to expire or that the statute of limitations will expire. You need an experienced personal injury trial attorney to evaluate your claim to make sure you are being treated fairly

Most lawyers charge an hourly rate for legal representation. However, legal representation at Progress Law is on a contingency fee basis. A contingency fee means that the lawyers do not collect a fee unless they achieve a successful result. This means that you do not pay until we settle your case or win at trial