BASIC PERSONAL INJURY 101: What to do!

[Columbia, Howard County, Maryland; May 15, 2012]

1. If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, get immediate medical attention and then contact an attorney for advice and consultation in making a claim for damages.

2. After you have retained an attorney, make every effort to help him or her help you.

3. Keep copies of all of the information about your accident, including police reports, medical bills, records about lost wages, and information sent to you by insurance companies. If you need to see your attorney, make an appointment, and be sure to keep all of the appointments that you make. If you move, be sure to give your attorney your new address and telephone number.

4. Once you have hired an attorney, inform the adjuster that you have done so, and give the adjuster your attorney’s name and telephone number. After you have given this information to the adjuster, let your attorney handle all discussions with the adjuster.

5. Remember that the adjuster working for the insurance company of the person who caused the accident is not your friend. The adjuster may make it sound like he or she is trying to help you, but the adjuster’s job is to make sure that you receive as little compensation as possible, or even nothing.

6. Get all the medical treatment you need for your injuries caused by the personal injury accident.

Be sure to keep all of your appointments with your doctors and/or physical therapists. Do everything that they tell you to do, whether it is to take medicine, do exercises, or get some rest. If they ask, tell your doctors or therapists that you have an attorney, but do not feel as though you have to volunteer information about your case or claim. Their focus is your health, and the question of how your legal case is going should not be any concern of theirs.

7. Understandably, family and friends often want to help you out if you have been hurt.

This is great, but if they are giving you advice about your legal case, remember that they are not your attorney. Usually, it is not a good idea to take this inexpert advice—always consult your attorney first.