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Posts Tagged ‘Vehicular Accident’

Costa Mesa Motorcycle Accident Attorney’s Top Ten Ways Insurance Companies Play Games With You After a Motorcycle Accident

August 17th, 2011 No comments

1. I’m afraid our analysis of your medical bills has determined the reasonable value of those bills to be only half of what your were charged. Our settlement has to be based on our analysis.

 

2. Well, I’m afraid those commercials for our insurance company are really more of a, well, you know, advertising, uh, no, I wouldn’t call them a gimmick.

 

3. I know you saw those commercials and based on them thought that we would be covering all of your expenses from the accident, but those commercials really don’t say that?

 

4. You see, Sir, insurance companies base their decisions on what we think is reasonable, not on what your doctors think.

 

5. No, Sir, you’re right. I am not a doctor, but I can tell you that we still feel that some of those medical tests were unnecessary.

 

6. Well, you were on a motorcycle and taking a risk so we have to take that into consideration, don’t we?

 

7. Yes, I realize that injuries are usually more severe in a motorcycle accident, but the amount of treatment you received is still more than the average person has in a vehicular accident.

 

8. I know you were trying to save us some money, but when you declined an ambulance at the scene, that tells us you weren’t that seriously injured.

 

9. Yes, I know it can take days to get an appointment with your health insurance doctor, but if you were really that seriously injured, we would have expected you to hobble into an emergency room.

 

10. Yes, I realize that when you stopped your treatment for two weeks, you were attempting to see how you would be, but even though you found you were still in pain, we really have to discount any treatment after the date you stopped.

Here are ten additional tips of advice from a motorcycle accident lawyer to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a personal injury in Costa Mesa, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learning how we can assist you.

 

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it may have been a few hours since the accident. However, if you ever have another accident, or if it’s only been a few hours since you were hurt, here’s what you should do from the start.

 

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.

 

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.

 

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

 

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

 

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

 

Seventh, call a good motorcycle accident attorney as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the attorney can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good motorcycle accident lawyer can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good motorcycle accident lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most motorcycle accident lawyers advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

 

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

 

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

 

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

 

If you’ve had a motorcycle accident in Orange County, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Santa Ana, Orange, Fullerton, costa Mesa, Westminster, Buena Park, Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Chino Hills, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Costa Mesa Motorcycle Accident Lawyer and your Orange County Motorcycle Accident Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

 

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learn how we can assist you.

R. Sebastian Gibson

Vehicle Accidents? Los Angeles Lawyer Will be There Every Step of the Way

May 25th, 2010 No comments

Los Angeles is characterized by a huge network of freeways, streets, as well as local and regional means of public transportation. Twelve major freeways traverse the region.

In a vehicular accident, injuries may be serious and emotions can run high. Here are some guidelines on what to do when you get involved in an accident:

• It is a rule of thumb that you should stay at the accident site especially if there are injuries or deaths. Leaving the accident site can make you criminally liable for “hit-and-run.” However, if the accident happened in a deserted place, be careful when stopping or disembarking from your vehicle, you could end up being robbed or killed.

• Prior to evaluating property damage, make sure that all parties are okay. Call for medical help if someone needs it. Do not move someone who is unconscious or suffers from neck or back pain. Wait until qualified medical practitioner arrives. If the victim is engulfed in a pool of gas that may explode any time, you have no choice but to move them.

• Get in touch with law enforcement agencies – This is vital if there is physical injury or death. Make the necessary police report once the police officers arrive at the accident scene.

• Obtain the names, contact numbers, address, license numbers, and basic insurance information of all the parties involved. Be cordial when getting information. However, avoid apologizing at the accident scene. Doing so could put you in trouble as far as legal liability is concerned.

• Interview eyewitnesses – Ask them what they saw. Likewise, obtain their names, contact details, and addresses. However, do not force them to provide information. Jot down what they say and if it is okay with them, you can get their names and phone numbers so that they can be contacted again when they are needed.

• Get in touch with your Insurance Provider – Inform your insurer that you got involved in an accident. Do not conceal information from the adjuster about what transpired and the degree of your injury. While the facts of the an accident may already be known to your insurance provider, keeping yourself interested in the case is an indication to the insurance company that you are serious with your case.

• Keep your medical records – Write down the names of doctors, therapists, chiropractors, or other medical personnel that you consult. Keep this information for your lawyer, insurance provider, and the court.

• Corroborating your case with photographic evidence can strengthen your chance of getting a winning claim. Take pictures of your vehicle prior and after the accident so that the adjuster can determine the amount of compensation for your claim.

• Now, you might already be receiving settlement offers from your insurance provider. Make sure that all your physical injuries have been treated and that you have a diagnosis from your doctor. Make sure that your claim covers all your injuries.

In all of these processes, getting a Los Angeles vehicle accident lawyer on your side can ensure a winning claim.

Melvin Magadia
http://www.articlesbase.com/personal-injury-articles/vehicle-accidents-los-angeles-lawyer-will-be-there-every-step-of-the-way-415883.html