Do not move your vehicle after the collision until the police arrive. Ask for an ambulance if you feel immediate symptoms of injury. Don't argue or accuse anyone and never admit fault. Fully cooperate with the police. Do not allow the other driver to talk you out of contacting the police. Make written notes of the names, addresses, phone numbers and license plates of all parties involved in the accident, and including any witnesses to the accident. If you have a cell phone or camera, take photos of the damage to your vehicle. If you are injured and cannot take photos, ask someone else to do it for you.

You have to prove your facts and damages by documenting everything. The need to document only begins at the accident scene. People forget their pain and suffering, so write down everything you can remember, not only about the accident, but about your injuries. Keep a detailed pain diary. Keep detailed notes of all conversations with insurance company representatives. Document your doctor visits. Keep a business card for each doctor, physical therapist and other healthcare providers that you see. Save all of your pill bottles, casts, braces, and similar items you receive from your doctors. Document your lost wages. If you have a large bruise on your head or body, or scarring, have a photograph taken of your injuries. When you hire The Zydron Law Firm, P.L.L.C., our investigator can take photographs of your vehicle and any cuts, bruises or scars you have suffered.

Go to your doctor at the first sign of injury. This means seeing your doctor immediately after the accident. You will probably feel worse the day after the injury than immediately after the accident, so make sure you see your physician. Do not assume that just because you don't feel immediate pain that you have not been injured. Some people feel that they can "tough it out" even though they may be in great pain and in need of medical assistance. Some people are embarrassed to ride in an ambulance to the hospital even though they are in pain at the accident scene. This will be used against you by the insurance company later. Insurance adjusters may even argue that the failure to see a doctor immediately indicates that your injury must have resulted from an unrelated event either before or after the accident. The longer you wait for medical treatment, the more difficult it will be to connect your injuries to the accident. Make a commitment to keeping your doctor and physical therapy appointments. Each time you see the physician or physical therapist, report that you are still having pain, so that the doctor will document it in the records. If you do not say that you are hurting or have discomfort, it will not be documented. You must prove that you are in pain in order to make a recovery for that element of damages. Also make sure that each of the doctors you see are given a detailed explanation of exactly how your accident occurred. Be honest with your doctor about any previous injury you had to the same body part. Always cooperate with your physicians and follow your doctor's instructions.

Do not give any statements, written or oral, to anyone concerning your accident or injuries without first getting your lawyer approval. Your lawyer may determine that it is in your best interest to give such a statement, but he should be present. It is common practice for insurance adjusters to call persons injured in an accident and attempt to record a statement before the victim has had an opportunity to talk to an attorney. Remember that the adjuster wants you to make damaging statements so that the insurance company can then pay you less money. If you want to fully protect your legal rights, under no circumstances should you talk to the defendant's insurance company without having an attorney with you. Also, never give a medical authorization to the other side's insurance company. This will allow the insurance company to have access to all of your medical treatment and records, whether related to your injury or not. Do not accept any check from any insurance company that says "final payment" unless you are ready to settle your entire claim. Even a check from an insurance company for property damage, if it says "final payment" or "a release of all claims" should not be accepted as you may have given up your claim for bodily injury. Insurance companies have been known to deliberately trick injured victims in accidents into releasing all of your rights. Do not accept a check or sign a release from the at-fault driver or his or her insurance company until you have conferred with an attorney. Do not make the mistake of settling your claim before knowing the full extent of all of your injuries. Do not take advice from anyone, not even friends, as you must have the advice of an experienced injury attorney.

Most people injured in accidents have never had to use an attorney and are hesitant to talk to one. Most injury victims do not know a lawyer personally and are not sure if they can even trust an attorney. Many people believe it when an insurance company tells them that they will end up with less money if they hire an attorney. It has been the experience of The Zydron Law Firm, P.L.L.C. that hiring a lawyer always increases the amount of net money in your pocket. You need an attorney in a serious injury claim because you will be thrown into an adversarial legal system, as the insurance company representing the party at fault has a team of adjusters, investigators and attorneys who will work against you and seek to pay as little as possible to settle your claim. Many accident victims give up with all of the hassles involved in attempting to represent themselves and end up settling for pennies on the dollar. Some accident victims only call an attorney after they realize that they have gotten "in over their heads." Unfortunately, by this time the accident victim has made many mistakes that even the most experienced personal injury attorney cannot undo. If you wait too long to get legal help, it gets harder to find evidence and witnesses and you risk losing your claim because the deadline for filing a lawsuit has expired. There are statutes of limitations in each state and a suit must be filed before the statute of limitations has expired. Hiring an attorney will bring you on a level playing field with the insurance company and you are more likely to receive maximum compensation for your injuries. If you had been seriously injured, you definitely need an experienced personal injury attorney. If you were involved in an automobile collision involving only property damage, with no injuries, you probably do not need a lawyer.