Let’s review
the seven steps that everyone should take when they are involved in a New Orleans
auto accident:
1. Call 911 immediately to request assistance from law enforcement
officers and emergency medical services.
2. Take pictures of the accident scene, especially the location of the vehicles
and the damage to the vehicles before the vehicles are moved, if possible, and
it is safe to do so.
3. Exchange driver’s license information and
insurance information
with the other driver. If the police are responding to the accident, you can wait
until they arrive to handle this step.
4. Ask eyewitnesses and bystanders for their
names and contact
information.
5. Do not speak with the other driver or anyone else at the accident scene
beyond asking them if they are injured and need an ambulance. You do not need
to be rude, but you also do not want to discuss the accident with anyone other
than the police officer. NEVER say you are sorry or accept blame.
6. Seek medical assistance as soon as possible. The shock of
the accident and the adrenaline pumping through your system can mask injury symptoms.
Some conditions may not present symptoms or signs of injury until a few hours
or days following the crash.
Do not say
you are not hurt and do not refuse medical treatment. If you do not go to the emergency
room, see your doctor as soon as possible. Delays in medical care and failing
to follow treatment plans can significantly hurt your chance of receiving full
compensation for your injuries, losses, and damages.
7. Contact a New Orleans Auto Accident Attorney, such as Attorney Fred Olinde of The
Olinde Firm. A car accident lawyer in New Orleans understands insurance companies
and how to deal with aggressive insurance adjusters. The insurance company is
not on your side. It will try to pay as little as possible to settle your
injury claim, even if it knows that its driver was responsible for causing the
crash and you have a valid injury claim.
What Can a New Orleans Auto Accident Attorney Do for You?
A New Orleans
auto accident attorney takes steps to protect your right to full and just compensation
after a car accident. Some of the steps that we take to protect our clients
include:
- Investigating the accident to gather
evidence, determine how the crash occurred, and, identify the party responsible
for causing the crash. - Locating all sources of insurance coverage
for the accident and file insurance claims on your behalf. - Working with your physicians to
document your injuries and determine if you sustained any permanent impairments
or disabilities that might be compensable. - Obtaining copies of the accident report
and police report for review. - Searching for additional evidence,
such as videos of the accident made by traffic cameras or nearby surveillance cameras. - Interviewing and deposing witnesses.
- Working with car accident experts,
when necessary, to reconstruct the accident to determine fault. - Creating a settlement demand package
to send to the insurance company. - Negotiating with the insurance provider
for a fair settlement. - Filing a personal injury lawsuit, if necessary,
to protect your legal right to compensation from the driver who caused the
crash.
Contact New
Orleans Auto Accident Attorney for a Free Case Review
Call our
office at (504) 587-1440 or
1-800-587-1889 to schedule your free
legal consultation with one of our NOLA personal injury lawyers to discuss
your New Orleans auto accident claim.