Information About Car Accidents and Protecting Your Case

Unless you are in an accident where the defendant is admitting it was his/her fault and agreeing that all your bills are necessary and reasonable, you will probably have a fight on your hands. In order to protect the value of your case, consider the following:

Take down as much information as possible - get the name, address, phone number, license plate, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), make, model and year as well as information on the vehicle owner (if different from driver). In addition to the above information, get anything and everything that you can think of at the time. Once the police leave and the defendant leaves the scene, it becomes more difficult to track information down.

Did anyone see the accident? - The fact that someone else who you may or may not know saw the accident is a big deal. If your case ends up going to trial because the insurance company won't settle, then an independent witness can be your best friend. Get the names, addresses and statement information from anyone that saw the accident.

Did you get pictures? - You want to take pictures of both cars, inside and out. Walk down the street and take pictures from all angles and distances. If you are injured, try to find someone else to take the pictures. You will be surprised how stories change once the case is in suit.

Get checked out by a doctor! - Unless you are a doctor and can check yourself out, then you have no idea if you are injured. Many times you will not feel the effects of an auto injury for hours or days. The longer you wait, the more ammunition you are giving to insurance defense lawyers to shoot holes in your case. Go to the emergency room if you can not get into see your family doctor. If you are told to follow up with a doctor or physical therapy location, do that. If you don't, the insurance lawyer's will make a big deal out of it.

Please recognize that the information on this site is not to be construed as advice. If you have been in an accident, please seek counsel and protect your rights.

Call Maryland Auto Accident Lawyer J. Matthew Bodman to discuss your case.

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See also Frequently Asked Questions
See also Personal Injury Protection