Three Mistakes That Could Cost You Thousands During an Auto Accident

The car accident remains one of, if not the most common kind of accident a person could find themselves being the victim of in New Orleans, but many people are not familiar with the proper steps to take following an automobile crash. You need to be aware of some of the many dangers inherent in trying to handle a car accident claim by yourself because the bottom line is that many people end up leaving thousands of dollars on the table.

Always make sure that you quickly retain legal counsel for assistance with any kind of automobile accident claim so you can avoid the three common mistakes we will outline in this post. You will want to have a New Orleans personal injury attorney on your side so you can know that you are taking the appropriate steps to recover as much financial compensation as possible.

Failing To Seek Medical Attention

Some people believe they are fine after a crash and decline any offers to get medical reviews for possible injuries. It is always a mistake not to go to a hospital after a crash because you thus have no record of treatment for any injuries that you may end up claiming later.

The bottom line is that you should visit a hospital after any accident, even when you do not think you were hurt. Remember that many insurance companies will not offer anything when there is no record of medical attention, but they will quickly try to settle cases when a person does have medical records to back their claims.

Accepting The First Settlement Offer You Receive

Many people are not used to being offered lump sums of money to resolve their automobile accident cases, and the size of settlement offers can often be appealing so the same people will be quick to accept the offers because they fear that this could be the only offer they will receive. You need to know that you always have the right to reject these overtures because a lawyer can probably negotiate for a much bigger amount.

Even if a settlement offer sounds like it will be enough to cover all of the bills you are currently facing, you need to ask yourself if the amount will be enough to cover all of the future bills as well because chances are likely that you are going to continue to accumulate medical bills as you continue to seek coverage for your injuries. The major problem with agreeing to settle a case is that you will also be releasing the at-fault party from any further liability, so you cannot try to recoup any more money from that party after the settlement even if you amass more bills because of your injuries.

Talking To The Insurance Company Without An Attorney

Some people do not see the harm in speaking to an insurance company about their accidents because they believe they are only sharing their sides of the story, which they believe are as accurate as possible. The problem here is that insurance companies engage in a number of tricks designed to get people to make statements that ultimately hurt their cases.

When you are contacted by any insurance company after a car accident, always decline to say anything until you have legal representation. An attorney is going to know how to deal with an insurer on your behalf and limit your exposure so you do not have to worry about saying anything that could ultimately cost you money.

Call Us Today to Schedule a Free Consultation with a New Orleans Personal Injury Attorney

If you or your loved one sustains severe injuries in an automobile accident in the greater New Orleans area, you are going to want to be sure that you have a skilled lawyer working with you to recover full and fair compensation. Egenberg Trial Lawyers handles all kinds of car accident claims and makes sure that you are able to receive all of the medical treatment you will need to make a full recovery.

Our firm can provide diligent representation in these manners by fully investigating the cause of the crash and then working with experts to establish why another party was at fault and should be held liable for all the damages resulting from the accident. We invite you to call (504) 229-2853 or contact us online so you can receive a free consultation that will allow us to take a closer look at your case and outline all of the next steps you should take.