FOR IMMEDIATE HELP PLEASE CALL (661) 945-6969
What To Do If You Have Been Injured In An Accident
- Get medical attention immediately. If you are able and it is safe to do so, gather important information about your accident, such as the name and contact information of any witnesses, and other parties involved in the accident. Take pictures, and write down notes of everything you remember as soon as you are able.
- Talk to the police, make sure it’s on record. Do not admit fault or give out any opinions. Give only basic, factual, truthful answers regarding the accident itself and leave the rest of the talking to us.
- Contact our experienced personal injury lawyers immediately following your injury or accident. The advice you receive in an initial interview with an attorney may be extremely helpful in the days following the accident.
- Take pictures of any damage to your vehicle before you get it repaired. Use color film and take a whole roll of pictures, or as many as you can on your cell phone.
- Take pictures of the accident scene if it is safe to do so, and pictures of the other vehicles involved in the accident. If you can, make a note of any possible sources of video footage, such as a nearby bank, ATM, convenience store or other businesses or buildings with outdoor security cameras. Try to note the address and name of the business for future use.
- Take lots of pictures of your injuries, including cuts and bruises.
- Save all medication bottles, casts, braces, and any other items from your doctor.
- Give your injury attorney any pictures and videos of the accident or accident scene that you or anyone else has taken for you.
- Obtain and save all receipts itemizing any and all expenses you incurred as a result of your accident. Be sure that receipts are dated and contain legible and complete vendor identification.
- Inform us of anything you think has a bearing on the case, including any medical treatment or hospitalization, and anything that causes you pain. Do not assume that pain or injury was caused by, or not caused by, the accident – that is your doctor’s job!
Protect Yourself By Making Sure You Do Not Do Any Of The Following:
- Do not give any statements – written, recorded, or oral – to anyone concerning your accident or injuries without first consulting Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers. This includes your insurance company, the other party’s insurance company and the police. (Talk to the police at the accident scene if you are able, and get on record once, but no follow-ups.) Let Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers submit any and all claims to your insurance for you. (If you are not yet represented, call us!) But if you must tender your claim before hiring a lawyer, do it in writing according to your policy, and simply provide the date of the accident. Claims must be submitted promptly.
- Do not admit fault or offer any opinions about the cause of the accident.
- Do not speak to anyone other than your attorney about your accident or case.
- Do not wait to visit a doctor if you are injured. At your visit, do not hold back any information about the location and severity of your pain.
- Do not make any false or incorrect statements about prior injuries to any doctor who may treat or examine you. If you don’t remember past information, say so.
- Follow your doctor’s advice – do not ignore it. (More on that below – read on!)
Information That Is Crucial To Your Case
Keep Detailed Records
Record the following information on an ongoing basis to maintain an accurate account of the suffering that you have endured:
- Lost work time and wages.
- Expenses resulting from your injuries (i.e., medical bills, diagnostic testing, transportation, home care, car repairs, etc.)
- Pain and suffering.
- Your physical limitations.
Keeping clear, accurate records and information can make all the difference to your case, and can preserve the value of your damages. Copies of checks and receipts of payment, as well as the above records, will be very helpful when you may be asked to recall your pain, physical disabilities, and any out-of-pocket expenses including medication, doctor and hospital expenses, transportation, medical devices (such as crutches, etc.) and chiropractic care.
Follow Your Doctor’s Advice
Be sure to do what your doctors tell you and show up for all appointments. By missing a doctor’s appointment, you are saying to the doctor and to the insurance company that your pain doesn’t matter or affect you too much. Protect your health, yourself, and your case by getting necessary treatment and following your doctor’s instructions at all times.
It is very important for you to work hard to get well and to go to all of your appointments. These appointments can serve as evidence of your pain and rehabilitation. If you are in pain and you do not see a doctor, the insurance company and the jury might not believe the extent of your injuries, and will want to pay or award you much less compensation.
What Should I Expect A Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers Personal Injury Attorney To Do For Me?
We will assist you to get medical care and treatment. We will evaluate your case and advise you throughout the process of recovery as to what to expect, and how to obtain the best legal recovery, including repair or replacement of your personal property, financial compensation for medical expenses and pain and suffering, as well as lost wages. We will be an effective and honest advocate for you, and will protect your interests at all costs.
We will fight hard for you, and do everything we can to obtain the maximum recovery for you. We will make sure all your medical bills are settled out of the settlement proceeds, and that your interests are protected at all times.
Only you can accept a settlement of your case, so we will present to you any settlement offer, and obtain your consent prior to accepting any settlement. You ultimately must decide, and any settlement agreement must be approved and signed by you.
Lastly, we will promptly disburse the settlement proceeds to you, per your agreement.
Why Should I Hire An Attorney To Assist Me In Resolving My Personal Injury Claim?
Insurance companies are NOT your friends, and they will try to deny or greatly reduce the value of your claims. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will not let an insurance company push you around, and will do everything possible to maximize your recovery. People who hire us obtain a higher net recovery, and avoid a great deal of stress, headache and aggravation.
Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers provides you the advantage of a skilled team of professionals who will provide you the benefit of decades of experience and insight. This is critical when dealing with insurance companies. If you don’t have an experienced attorney, you are likely going to get robbed blind by the insurance company. Hiring a personal injury attorney allows you to focus on your recovery from your injuries while your attorney focuses on holding the responsible person accountable for your injuries.
How Does Your Law Firm Charge Attorneys’ Fees?
We only work on a contingency fee basis in personal injury cases, meaning that if we do not obtain a financial recovery for you, you do not pay us a dime.
Who Is Going To Pay Up Front For All Of The Costs And Expenses Of My Case?
We advance all costs and we say so in our retainer agreement. Costs must be advanced during the case to hire experts, conduct discovery and prepare for trial. The client is responsible for reimbursing the costs when the case settles. If we don’t recover money for you, you will owe nothing.
What Is The Value Of My Case?
Because every case is unique and different, it is impossible to tell immediately how much money you will recover in connection with your case. In cases of serious injury, the ultimate recovery is often related to the amount of insurance coverage available, the nature, extent, and duration of your injuries, and the assessment of liability. It is our primary duty to obtain an amount of money which will fairly and justly compensate you for your injuries. We will make every effort to do this by locating all sources of money. We will advise you of our evaluation in this regard.
In general, recovery of damages is permitted for the following elements of damage:
- The nature and extent of injury, including whether the injury is permanent, and the amount of disability.
- Medical expenses, including past bills and future expenses that are reasonably incurred.
- Lost earnings and loss of capacity to earn a living.
- Pain and suffering, including your motor vehicle and other items of personal property.
- Loss of consortium for your spouse.
Who Should I Talk To About My Case?
Do not discuss your accident with anyone except your attorney and your doctors. If your own insurance company wants to talk about your case before they pay your medical bills, please refer them to us. Remember that any necessary information from employers, schools, or other persons will be obtained by Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers. Also, you should not sign anything for anyone else until you check with your attorney first.
What About Claims That Are Filed Against The Government?
Any injury claim, whether it stems from a car collision or other event that involves the government, is subject to special rules. The governmental entity involved may be the state, a city, a county, local government, or the United States. Generally, a Notice of Claim must be filed with the appropriate governmental agency very soon following your injury. If you believe that the government may be involved in your case, please notify us immediately. Do not delay at all. You could easily lose your right to file a claim against the government if you delay.
How Can We Help You Immediately?
Medical Help
There are doctors who are insurance company oriented and doctors who are patient oriented. Never go to a doctor suggested by the insurance company. You are entitled to your own doctor.
We can help you find a medical doctor who is knowledgeable in personal injury matters. He or she will guide you in getting the kind of therapy and treatment most beneficial to your recovery and will wait until the conclusion of the case for the medical bill to be paid.
Bills
If you are injured due to the fault of another party, that person’s insurance company should pay your medical bills. But don’t expect them to volunteer to pay any of your bills. Even your own insurance company may dispute which medical bills they feel are “reasonable and necessary,” and refuse to pay them.
You need to know what the insurance companies are obligated to pay.
We can guide you and help you to collect what you are entitled to collect.
Insurance
Insurance companies are not on your side when it comes to fair compensation for your losses. They are obligated to save money and answer to their shareholders. In fact, there is no legal requirement to force an insurance company to pay any person injured in an accident.
Remember that your own insurance company can become an adversary when negotiating payment of losses, including pain and suffering. You need the guidance of a qualified attorney to be compensated fairly.
Don’t let the insurance company add insult to injury.
Don’t be a victim of insurance company fraud!
If you believe you have been victimized by fraudulent insurance company claims practices, contact us today!
What To Do After You Have an ACCIDENT
Every accident is different and every victim is different. The range of damages and injuries can cover all ends of the spectrum. In one instance, the property damages could be very minimal, but in another, the injuries could be devastating.
In the worst cases, the resulting damages and fatal injuries could cause long-lasting emotional damages to surviving family members. Despite the many differences that can occur in an accident, one single fact remains the same: everyone should consult an attorney immediately after an accident.
Call Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers at (661) 945-6969.
Why You Should Call Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers, LLP
If you were involved in an accident that was caused by no fault of your own and it directly resulted in serious injuries to you or someone you love, do not wait another moment to contact a personal injury attorney. Even if you think you may have played a role in the cause of your accident, do not admit to fault.
At Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers, we have been trusted by over 100,000 clients throughout the greater Los Angeles area. In fact, we have helped recover over $900 million on behalf of our injured clients since 1971! We know how to investigate claims, challenge witness statements, and recreate accidents in order to get to the cause of your accident and determine who is liable.
When You Should Seek Legal Counsel
You should always receive immediate medical attention before anything else. Making certain that you receive the proper medical care needed to recover quickly and properly should always be your first priority. It will be crucial to keep detailed records of any type of medical treatment that you undergo because they can act as evidence to help maximize your financial compensation.
Personal injury claims in the state of California have a statute of limitations – or, a time limit. Though we always recommend that our clients receive medical treatment first, we also stress the importance of getting in contact with an attorney who can help expedite the claims-filing process. By calling us sooner rather than later, we can make certain that you do not miss the deadline and risk your chance of receiving compensation.
How the Process Works
After seeking the appropriate medical attention and speaking with an attorney, the official filing process can begin. Though each process is different, there are some typical procedures that everyone can expect, including:
- File a claim regarding the property damage or physical injury
- Determine the amount of compensation based on the degree of damage and injury
- File the claim against the insurance company that represents the liable party
- If the insurance company fails to accept the offer, we can file a lawsuit on your behalf
Who You Should Trust
The insurance and healthcare businesses are billion-dollar industries that typically do not have your best interests at heart. Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accidents Lawyers has been fighting insurance companies on behalf of injured clients for over 45 years – please contact us immediately if you need assistance getting the maximum compensation for any injury.
The only way to make certain that your claim is valued properly will be through the help of an attorney. We specifically work with insurance adjusters to level the playing field. We have maximized the value of tens of thousands of cases, and have over 100,000 happy, satisfied clients throughout the Antelope Valley.
Uber Accidents: What You Should Know:
The concept of ridesharing, embodied and spearheaded by companies like Uber, is still quite new, and there are still a lot of complex questions to figure out. Here’s what we do know: when you’re in an accident involving an Uber car — whether it’s as an Uber driver, a passenger in an Uber vehicle, or in your own car hit by an Uber vehicle — you have rights.
Your best option is to contact an auto accident lawyer and consult with them on the details of your specific case…
