Fort Worth and Tarrant County Car Accident Attorney

My firm represents clients who have suffered personal injuries or property damage in automobile, motorcycle or truck accidents in the Dallas/Fort Worth and North Texas area.

Tips for Dealing with the Insurance Company

Sometimes an insurance company will try to give you a false sense of security, and then later notify you weeks or even months later that they will not cover your losses.  Protect your rights and do not become a victim again.  Do not let the insurance company bully you by convincing you that you do not need an attorney when you have been injured in an accident. 

What can happen when you try to get your claim settled, and hope to receive payment for your medical bills, your lost income, your towing bills, your rental car bills, your total loss on your vehicle, and your pain and suffering, the insurance company could deny responsibility, and tell you that they never actually guaranteed any type of payment.

If you have been Injured
You have been injured by the automobile accident, this what do you need to do next:

1. Get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all the witnesses as soon as possible, and keep them in a safe place. Follow up on your witnesses, and store their information and keep them current .
   
   
2. Take photographs of vehicles. Take photographs at the scene of the accident.  If you wait a day later or more, the debris will be cleaned up, skid marks will fade, the vehicles will no longer be in the same resting position.  The person who caused the accident may have their vehicle fixed the very next day, and you lose valuable evidence of what the damage to their vehicle looked like. You may need these photos to prove how the accident happened, or to prove how severe the accident was. Take pictures that actually SHOW the damage. PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES.
   
   
3. Take photographs of injuries.  If you have any bleeding, bruising, lacerations, or injuries that are visible, take pictures of those injuries.  Injuries can be fixed and resolve, and if you do not take a picture, the insurance company will not believe you when you tell them you had injuries. PICTURES, PICTURES, PICTURES.
   
   
4. Get your own estimate of damage to your vehicle. Several body-shops will give you a free estimate.  You must have your own estimate done.  Insurance companies will often write an estimate for less than half what the damage really will cost to repair. To protect yourself, get your own estimate.  Let the insurance company do their estimate as well, but be protected with your own just in case.
   
   
5. See a doctor immediately. Either through the emergency room or through your local doctor. This is very important because the diagnosis of severe injuries can be delayed if initially you do not have any symptoms and then it can present later. Also you need to keep an accurate record of your injuries and to document them.
   
   
6. Save all documents showing what you are out of pocket.  Save all towing bills, rental bills, storage fees, prescription fees, doctor bills, etc.  If you want a full financial out of pocket recovery, you will have to provide a full record.
   
   
7. Call the police to the scene, order a police report. Call 911 and notify the dispatcher that there is an injury in the accident.  You need a report taken, and a record of what happened. 
   Usually people change their story after you leave the scene of the accident.  If there is no police report, and no witnesses, then you have no proof or evidence that you are the one telling the truth.  It then becomes a "he said, she said" scenario, and that makes recovery from the insurance company much more difficult.  If a police officer comes to the scene, usually the person will admit fault and has not had time to think up an alternative story about how it happened.  The officer will write into the report that the person admitted fault, and that is admissible at trial.  So protect yourself, and insist on a police officer to make a report if at all possible.  Then order the police report and verify that it is correct. 
   Check the report as soon as possible after the accident, and get any corrections done as soon as possible by contacting the officer and advising of any problems with the report.
   
   
8. Contact an attorney as soon as possible. You need to hire someone with experience handling automobile accident claims.  Someone who will maximize the benefits you are entitled to receive.  Call me immediately for a free consultation. 

 
My firm represents clients who have suffered personal injuries or property damage in automobile, motorcycle or truck accidents in the Dallas / North Texas area. Motor vehicle accidents that include those involving drunk or hit and run drivers, uninsured or underinsured drivers, as well as accidents occurring from motor vehicle, SUV and semi-tractor trailer collisions and rollovers.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a motor vehicle accident or car crash, CONTACT US ONLINE OR CALL US AT 817 255-4001 TO SET UP A FREE CONSULTATION.If you or a loved one has been seriously injured, you need the help of the Dr. Shezad Malik Law Firm. Call the Medical Doctor-Attorney NOW.