Why you ask would that be true? Don’t the Insurance Companies treat all accidents cases the same? Don’t they just multiply your medical bills by 3?
A lawyer directs you on what to do to support your accident claim to get fair value on your case, and not be low-balled. If the police did not go to the scene, your lawyer will have you make a report at the police station.
Most drivers don’t realize how important a police report is to the value of a case. If the police did make a report, maybe it is not accurate and incorrectly pegs you as being at fault or 50% at fault. Sometimes your lawyer, in the beginning of the case, can hire an Investigator to gather evidence to share with the police to get the report amended. If the case is worth $100,000 and you are 50% at fault you will only collect $50k.
Your lawyer will help you understand what information is needed. S/he will get an investigator on the case asap to get wit statements and pictures of the scene. You should HIRE A LAWYER ASAP so evidence does not get cold or destroyed.
Most clients don’t realize how important it is to be honest with their lawyer. When your lawyer asks if you had any prior accidents, be honest. With computers, it is easy for the insurance co. to search your name for your driving and criminal record.
Likewise, you must be honest with your doctor too. To be sure your doctors each get ALL of your medical problems, write them out before you see the doctor. Go to your computer and list everything that hurts from the top of your head to the bottom of your toes.
Give that sheet to each doctor so they can incorporate the information into your medical file. All to often the nurse or medical assistant misreads the doctors notes and leaves out either his info on how the accident happened… or all of your medical problems.
With respect to your doctor visits, don’t miss appointments or have gaps in your treatment. The attorney for the insurance company, and their doctors, are going to argue you were not hurt that badly because you were not treating. The insurance adjuster knows all jurors will expect an accident victim to treat on a regular basis… and for each problem, without missing appointments. Otherwise the question of how bad could they have been hurt, will be asked?
Your lawyer will also review your insurance information to see what the maximum recovery could be on this case. If the other driver did not have much insurance s/he will know to make a claim against your underinsured motorist portion of your policy. Your lawyer will likewise encourage you to increase your limits for the future. Buying Umbrella Coverage insurance also makes sense, and it is very cheWith respect to fixing your car, you do not want to go to the body shop that your insurance co recommends. Nor do you want to go to your next door neighbor who will do you a favor and fix $7,500 of property damage for $2500. Doing the repairs as cheaply as possible will hurt your case as it suggest less of an impact, thus requiring less medical treatment. With less PD, the attorney for the ins co will argue the damage was not that serious. You also may wind up with an ins co that does not replace or pound out the dent, but rather uses Bondo to hide it. In addition, if they don’t put the car on a hoist, one can’t see the damage on the undercarriage. When the PD is low the adjuster is inclined to low ball you on a settlement. The insurance companies hire biased experts to pay as little as possible. THEY HIRE BIASED ADJUSTERS TO DENY AND UNDERPAY CLAIMS.
DRINKING AND TEXTING BOTH CAUSE ARRESTS AND ACCIDENTS, OR MAKE A DRIVER LESS LIKELY TO AVOID A DUI INDUCED ARREST OR ACCIDENT… THAT WOULD NOT BE THEIR FAULT.
BEING INTOXICATED, IS JUST AS SERIOUS AS BEING INTEXTICATED.
A DRIVER MUST DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO AVOID AN AT FAULT ACCIDENT.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS “DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE OR TEXT, AND GET A DUI OR ACCIDENT… CALL A TAXI, LYFT OR UBER….THEY ARE A LOT CHEAPER THAN CALLING ME”.
DALE GRIBOW
REPRESENTING THE INJURED AND CRIMINALLY ACCUSED
“TOP LAWYER” – California’s Prestige Magazine, Palm Springs Life (PI/DUI) 2011-22
“TOP LAWYER” – Inland Empire Magazine
PERFECT 10.0 AVVO Peer Rating
“PREEMINENT” Rating – Martindale Hubbell Legal Directory
“BEST Attorneys of America” Selected by “Rue” (Limited to Top 100 Attorneys/state)
“10 Best Attorneys” for California
Legal Eagle “Best and Brightest Legal Minds” -The Prestigious Palm Springs Life Magazine
If you have any questions regarding this column or ideas for future columns please contact Dale Gribow 760- 837- 7500 or dale@dalegribowlaw.com
