When you have been injured in an auto accident it is vital to take certain steps to ensure you do not lose out on the compensation you deserve for costs related to your injuries. At Adams, Luka, & Benton, our Orlando car accident attorneys have provided some information below to help you understand what steps you should take immediately following the accident.
Call for medical help. First and foremost, tending to your injuries is vital. Call 911 so that the proper emergency personnel can be notified of the situation, and respond to the scene to tend to serious injuries or medical issues. Police often respond to these calls as well. It is important to file a police report so that critical details can be preserved in the accident report, and an investigation can begin to determine which party or parties may be responsible.
Collect every detail from all involved when possible. Depending on the extent of your injuries, you may be able to gather information including the names of all parties involved, telephone numbers or e-mail address, insurance companies, license plate numbers, and more. If you have a cell phone, take pictures of the accident scene. If you do not, you may want to consider contacting family members who can take photos and otherwise witness the scene.
Contact a reputable Orlando car accident attorney. While seeking medical attention is always the first priority, contact an attorney as quickly as possible to ensure your rights are protected. Insurance companies are quick to "jump on" injury cases in an effort to limit their liability, and limit or deny claims. This may give the person/parties who were negligent an advantage, which is why it is important to contact a lawyer immediately in order to minimize any disadvantages the responsible party's insurance company may create.
Don't try to handle the investigation or insurance companies on your own. You may believe the insurance company will give you the full settlement you deserve, but this is not the case. Insurance adjusters are trained to limit or even deny claims, sometimes attempting to place partial or full blame on the victim. Our accident attorneys are skilled negotiators, and can handle the insurance company for you. If it becomes necessary, we will not hesitate to file a lawsuit against the negligent party and the insurance companies involved.
Do NOT agree to a recorded statement with the insurance adjuster before speaking with your lawyer. Again, insurance adjusters are highly skilled in somewhat unscrupulous tactics. They may trick you into making a statement that could jeopardize your case, simply by the way your answer or statement is worded. Consult with your personal injury lawyer first.
Contact Adams, Luka, & Benton NowCollecting the damages you deserve following a car accident is not as easy as you might think. The costs related to your injuries can be staggering, and may include lost income or pain/suffering in addition to medical costs and property damage. At Adams, Luka, & Benton, our highly skilled Orlando accident lawyers are dedicated to recovering the full damages you deserve from those who are negligent. Contact us immediately at (407) 872-0307.
I would like thank my attorney Thomas Luka. I knew from the beginning I had the right guy in my corner. While celebrating with family and friends at a Public Park in Seminole County, a fight broke out among various people. Myself, and a good friend, broke up the fight and the instigators left. Six months later, I was wrongly accused as the person who started the fight. The first attorney I hired could not even get a response from the State Attorney handling the case. Someone referred me to Tom and I felt comfortable at his demeanor and reactions.
After conversations with Tom, who knew I would settle for nothing less than a FULL DISMISSAL due to my innocence, I hired him. His firm Adams, Luka, & Benton did the due diligence by interviewing witnesses and the police who were on the scene, as well as starting a dialogue with the State Attorney. After gathering statements from witnesses, Tom was able to present a strong argument on my behalf to the State Attorney on why the case should be dismissed. If the State Attorney was not willing to dismiss the case, Tom was ready to take the case to trial.
The result by Thomas Luka: Case Dismissed.
I am 53 years old with a spotless record and glad to keep it that way thanks to the time, effort, hard work, and professionalism of Adams, Luka, & Benton.