Following a motor vehicle accident, you may be wondering what to do. The first steps are to get yourself to safety and then call 911 before you do anything else.
Unfortunately, a common mistake that many accident victims make at the scene is to immediately call or contact their insurance company to file a claim. In fact, your insurer makes it simple to do so with easy-to-use smartphone apps. However, you’ll often find that the first offer you get isn’t nearly what you need to make you whole or what you deserve.
What May Happen if You Don’t Contact a Rockledge Car Accident Lawyer First
Sadly, too many people call the insurance company before contacting a lawyer. They also take other actions after the accident that can reduce their potential compensation. Some of the most common mistakes people make include:
- Admitting some level of responsibility at the scene
- Giving recorded statements to an insurance company without an attorney present
- Posting accident details and editorializing about the accident on social media
- Failing to seek medical attention for seemingly minor medical issues
- Contacting the counterparty or witnesses themselves
- Failing to preserve evidence, like pictures taken at the scene
- Accepting a settlement offer from an insurer without legal guidance
- Negotiating a private settlement without legal guidance
If you inadvertently take one or more of these actions, you make it harder for a car accident lawyer in Rockledge to pursue a successful case on your behalf.
For example, suppose you were in an accident at night where the other party was drunk and rolled through a stop sign. That should be a pretty straightforward case, but if you mention that your headlights were out in describing the incident on social media, you could see your award or settlement reduced or even incur a ticket and fine.
It’s easy to make mistakes like these in the wake of an accident, especially if you are not a lawyer or member of law enforcement. That’s why you need the guidance of an experienced Rockledge car accident attorney after your accident happens. Don’t lose out on all of the money you’re owed because of a simple mistake or oversight.
For a free legal consultation with a car accidents lawyer serving Rockledge, call 321-503-4014
How Can Andrew Pickett Law Help You Following a Car Accident
When you’re dealing with car accident repair costs, medical expenses, or both, you need a lawyer that understands and has experience working locally. That means a lawyer who understands local laws and ordinances and has experience working with local law enforcement, prosecutors, and jurists. If you’ve been in a car accident in Rockledge, Andrew Pickett Law is the firm you should call.
Having represented clients throughout Rockledge County, we understand how to navigate Rockledge car accidents and get the best possible outcomes for our clients. We believe that everyday people deserve equal access to justice. And using our legal experience and clear client communication, we aim to deliver justice to our clients in the following areas:
- Personal injury
- Wrongful death
- Sexual abuse
Rockledge Car Accident Lawyer Near Me 321-503-4014
Working on Contingency
Often, large insurers will drag out personal injury cases with various legal stalling tactics. When they do this, you typically will own your personal injury lawyer more and more money. And pretty soon, after paying expensive legal fees for months or years, you’ll be more likely to take whatever settlement they offer you and drop your lawsuit.
However, the settlement offers that large insurers make in these circumstances are usually far less than the award you’d win at trial. They know that the financial pressure plaintiffs face can be enough to get them to accept lowball offers. A lawyer’s ongoing fees, on top of the damages you’ve suffered, can be devastating.
At Andrew Pickett Law, we work on a contingency basis which means that you don’t pay us until we win a judgment or obtain an acceptable settlement offer for you. When we get to work, we have been able to secure five-figure and six-figure settlements for our clients. Every case is different, but when we take you on a client, you’ll have an experienced Rockledge car accident lawyer fighting on your behalf to get you the compensation you deserve.
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What to Do After a Car Accident
Instead of pulling out your smartphone and punching your details into your insurer’s app, you should call Andrew Pickett Law. Your insurance app may be inviting, and their representative may sound cordial on the phone. That said, the reality is they have dedicated resources to ensure they pay you the lowest amount possible per your policy, whether or not you’re entitled to more.
Moreover, the moment you contact your insurer, every word you say and every detail you enter into the app will be incorporated into legal documents. These recordings and documents can be used against you at a later date if you ask for more than what you’ve been offered.
For example, if an insurance investigator opens a call with a routine, “How are you feeling” and you say, “Alright,” that can be used to cast doubt on the severity of medical injuries for which you are pursuing compensation.
When you speak with an attorney first, you can better understand your options. Don’t rely on advice from insurers who are working on behalf of employers, not you. Instead, call Andrew Pickett Law for legal guidance from an experienced attorney with your best interests at heart.
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Call Andrew Pickett Law Today
If you’ve recently been in a car accident in Rockledge, contact Andrew Pickett Law. When we take you on as a client, you’ll benefit from an experienced lawyer who understands the local legal landscape. Andrew Pickett Law works tirelessly on behalf of our clients to obtain the best possible outcome for their cases.
The quicker you contact an experienced car accident attorney in Rockledge, the greater your chances of getting the award or settlement offer that makes you whole. Contact Andrew Pickett Law today for a case evaluation and take the first steps towards getting the justice you deserve.
Call or text 321-503-4014 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form