Your Rights After an Injury: What to Do Next?

Introduction

A personal injury occurs when one person hurts another person due to carelessness, recklessness, or intent. Personal injury claims are usually the result of car accidents, slip-and-falls, or medical malpractice. You might wonder what rights you have after an injury has occurred, whether you’re the injured party or the person causing the injury. Sullivan & Galleshaw, personal injury lawyers, answer some of these questions below to help you better understand your rights in these situations.

Inform the insurance company

Any supporting evidence of the injury should be provided to the insurance company if you or a loved one has been injured. If you have not contacted the insurance company yet and are unsure of what steps to take next, consider speaking with a personal injury lawyer.

File a Police Report if Necessary

If the accident was your fault, you may be required by law to file a police report. If it was not your fault, you can still choose to file a report for documentation purposes. However, in most cases, this is not necessary.

Get Your Medical Records

If you sustain injuries in a car accident, by a truck, or at work, you should go to the hospital immediately. You also need to take steps right away so that your medical records can be used as evidence in any possible legal proceedings. Obtain a copy of your medical records from the hospital staff as soon as possible. If they say no, request that they send them to you in writing.

Preserve evidence

If you are hurt in a car accident, the first thing you should do is take pictures of the scene. Take photos of any skid marks or debris that was left behind. If you have someone with you at the time, ask them to take photos too so there is evidence from both perspectives.

Don’t rely on settlement offers

Don’t rely on settlement offers. The insurance company will offer you a settlement for your injuries and medical bills. However, even if you accept the first offer, it does not mean that the amount is fair or high enough. You should consult with a personal injury lawyer before accepting any offers from the insurance company.

Conclusion

If you’ve been injured, get yourself the medical care that you need. You deserve it. Beyond this, there are a lot of things to think about and decide on, like whether or not you want legal representation. Give us a call if you would like to learn more about your rights and what we can do for you after an injury.