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Were you injured in a Monroe, Georgia car accident?
If you have been injured in a Monroe, Georgia car accident, please see below the 9 steps you should take to protect yourself and your potential settlement.
FIRST-CALL 911
As soon as the accident is over, make sure to call 911. This will allow the police to respond to the scene and document the accident with a police report. A police report is vital to your case and will document the accident with important information such as the date of the accident, the at-fault driver’s name, the at-fault driver’s insurance information, citations issued to the at-fault driver, a description of the cause of the accident, and the responding police officer’s name. You will want to make sure to get the full name of the responding officer as well as his/her telephone number. Many times the responding police officer will be your star witness in the case, so this is very important to do.
SECOND-TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS
Make sure to document the accident with photographs of the damage to your car as well as the at-fault vehicle. Showing the extent of property damage to your car is important for the at-fault driver’s insurance company to see because this shows the severity of the accident and is something they will have trouble explaining away.
THIRD-EXCHANGE INFORMATION WITH THE AT-FAULT DRIVER
While the responding officer will document this information in the police report, it is best to also document the at-fault driver’s information yourself. The information you will need is the at-fault driver’s full name, address, and insurance information. It is advisable to take pictures of the at-fault driver’s insurance card so you will easily have on file this information.
FOURTH-DOCUMENT ALL WITNESSES AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT
Make sure to take down the names and contact information for all of the witnesses who are at the scene of the accident. This includes people like eyewitnesses, the responding police officer, responding medical personnel like EMTs, and the responding tow truck driver. All of these people are potential valuable witnesses for you at trial.
FIFTH-IF YOU ARE INJURED, SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT
If you are feeling aches, pains, or any symptoms of being injured because of the accident, it is advisable to seek medical treatment. This does not mean you have to go to the emergency room, but you should see your primary care physician if you are in pain the next day after the accident. It is better to be safe than sorry, and a medical professional can help you determine whether further treatment is needed.
SIXTH-DON’T TALK TO THE AT-FAULT DRIVER’S INSURANCE COMPANY
Many times the at-fault driver’s insurance company will reach out to you to try and get information from you regarding the accident and your injuries. Do not talk to them! They are not talking to you to help you. They are calling to get as much information from you as possible that they can use against you.
SEVENTH-DON’T POST ABOUT THE ACCIDENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Once the accident is over and the at-fault driver’s insurance company knows you are injured, they will start to keep tabs on you. The easiest way to do this is to monitor all of your social media accounts. It is better to not discuss the accident on your social media accounts to prevent anything you say from being used against you. In general, if you have been injured in a car accident, it is best to not post on social media until your case is resolved.
EIGHTH-DOCUMENT EVERYTHING
Make sure to keep a file with all of the documentation related to the accident. This includes:
- The police report for the accident
- All photos of the accident
- The contact information for each witness to the accident
- The insurance information for the at-fault driver
- All property damage estimates and bills related to the accident
- All of your medical records and bills related to the accident
- A list of all of the days you missed from work because of the accident
- A list of all of the pain and injuries you suffered because of the accident
NINTH-CONTACT BARTLETT BENTON
If you have been in a car accident in Monroe, Georgia and have been injured as a result, you need to call an attorney like Bart Benton to help you gather the evidence you need for your case and to negotiate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. If you are not represented by an attorney, the insurance company will not respect you and will try to lowball you into a quick settlement. Don’t fall into that trap. For a free case evaluation, please call Bart Benton at 866-927-4290.
