Frequently Asked Questions

What to do if you’re involved in an automobile accident:

Do not leave the scene of the accident.
• Do not move your vehicle, unless leaving it where it is would be dangerous.
• If you think you may have caused the accident, do not admit it.
• Call the police and wait for them to arrive.
• Try to identify anyone who may have witnessed the accident and get their name, address, and telephone number. If you are unable to speak with a witness, try to get their license plate number.
• Exchange insurance information with the other drivers involved.
• If possible, take pictures of the scene, damage to the vehicles involved, and any visible injuries you or your passengers may have.
• Get any medical treatment you or any passengers may need.

What to do if you have some other kind of accident, like a fall in a store or on private property:
Before you leave the scene, try to write down exactly what happened.
• Take pictures of the scene and the cause of your accident.
• If the accident occurs in a store, identify and inform the manager of the accident, ask that a report of the accident be prepared, and ask for a copy.
• If you require immediate medical attention, call 911 or have someone else do that.
• Get the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of anyone who witnessed your accident.

How soon after the accident should I call you?
To protect your interests, call us as soon as possible after an accident. You don’t necessarily need to call us from the scene of the accident or from the emergency room, but try to call us as soon as you leave the hospital or return home after the accident. If you call us after hours, please leave a message, and your call will be returned promptly.

How do I know if I have a case?
Take advantage of our free consultation. When you discuss the accident with us, we will be in a better position to make that determination. The answer will depend on who was at fault for the accident and the injuries you sustained in it. This determination needs to be made in all accident cases.

What type of claims will I have if I’m involved in an automobile accident?
You will generally have two separate claims, one for damage to your vehicle, and another for injuries you sustained in the accident. We can usually help you to handle your own property damage claim, but, if there are problems, we can help you solve them. We will represent you from start to finish with your claim for personal injury, and will keep you advised of developments and informed throughout the process.

What do I do about my property damage?
The insurance company for the at-fault driver normally repairs your vehicle or pays you its actual cash value, if it is a total loss. They would also be expected to provide you with a rental vehicle while yours is being repaired or, for a short time to enable you to find other transportation, if your car is a total loss.

What do I do about my medical bills?
Provide us with all medical bills or prescription receipts you receive that relate to your accident. Be sure to let us know where and about all treatment you receive for your accident-related injuries. We will discuss how the bills are to be paid with you before your case is resolved.

What if I have to miss time from work?
If you miss time from work due to your injuries or because of doctor’s appointments, keep a written record of that. When you return to work or are no longer missing work for doctor’s appointments, we will provide you with a form for your employer to complete, which will show the time you missed from work and the money you lost. Your accident-related lost income will then become part of your claim for personal injury.

What if the other driver’s insurance company wants me to give them a recorded statement?
When that insurance company finds out that we represent you, they cannot speak to you without our permission. We make it our job to deal with insurance companies, so you do not have to worry about it. If you give any statement to an insurance company about your accident before speaking with us, you risk making mistakes that may be difficult or impossible to correct. Let us decide whether you should give a recorded statement or not.

What if the other driver’s insurance company offers me money to settle now?
The decision to accept any settlement offer is entirely up to you, but offers made soon after an accident are often low and do not represent fair compensation. Let us help to protect you from accepting an unfair offer. It is best to meet with us to discuss the circumstances of the accident, the damage to the vehicles involved in it, and the injuries you sustained in it before making any decisions.

What if I can’t afford a lawyer?
You do not need money to hire us. Our fee is a percentage of what we recover for you and is based on the entire recovery, before expenses. While you are obligated to pay whatever costs we incur in handling your case, if there is no recovery, there is no fee. In any case, we never let our attorney’s fee work a hardship on an injured client or his family. We always put our clients first. Our goal is to have clients and their family and friends who want to work with us now and in the future.

What should I bring with me to your office?
Bring all the information you have that relates to the accident, including any paperwork given to you by a police officer, records of treatment from the emergency room, medical bills or prescription receipts, contact information for witnesses, and any pictures of the scene of the accident, the vehicles involved in it, or your visible injuries. If your vehicle is drivable, please bring it to our office for an inspection. We will remind you about these things before you meet with us.

How often will I be in contact with your office?
While you will meet with us at our office at the beginning of your case and at the end, you are welcome to call or meet with us at any time. We will do our best to keep you informed of developments in your case by speaking with you on the telephone and by sending you copies of all written correspondence. If you are physically unable come to our office, we will come to you.

Will I have to go to court?
While most cases are settled and do not require a lawsuit to be filed, some cases must be litigated. But, even if a lawsuit has to be filed in your case, it may not go to court, because many lawsuits are also settled without going to court. Do not worry about this at all, because, whether your case settles or goes to court, we are here to help you and guide you through the entire process.

How long will it take for my case to settle, and how much money can I expect?
Every case is different, and what you may have heard from someone about their case may not apply to yours. Your claim for personal injury will not be ready until you have been released from all medical treatment relating to injuries you sustained in the accident and we have all of your medical records, bills, information about your lost income, and any pictures that support your claim. When we have all of these things, we will make your claim and give the other driver’s insurance company a reasonable time to respond to it. While we work hard to provide results as soon as possible, some things take time and require patience. The value of your claim will be determined by the facts of your accident and the injuries you sustained in it. We do our best for every client and in every case.

If I hire you, what can I expect?
You can expect us to work hard for you and to be treated fairly. Some people believe that they can expect to get rich if they have been injured in an accident. Thinking like this is a mistake. Personal injury law is intended to put you back in the place you were before you were hurt in the accident. That would include payment of your medical expenses, your accident-related lost income, and something fair and reasonable for pain and suffering. We promise to do our best to make this happen.