PERSONAL INJURY TOOLKIT

  • Don’t admit any fault

  • Call either crime check or 911 to report the accident. Remember to get a report number.

  • Do exchange insurance information and get a copy of the other driver’s identification

  • Document everything. Take plenty of photos of the scene, any damage, and the vehicles involved. Get the names and contact information of any witnesses. If law enforcement responds to the scene, they should get this information, but you should confirm that they are obtaining it.

  • Promptly seek medical treatment. It is important to be seen immediately. Oftentimes you may not feel you need immediate medical treatment, but in a short period of time those injuries become apparent.

  • Contact an experienced car crash attorney

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What to do if you are in a car crash

  • Before you ever talk to an insurance company you should talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer.

  • You should promptly notify your own insurance carrier that you were in a collision. Be honest with them but don’t downplay the extent of the accident or your injuries.

  • Don’t talk to the other party’s insurance company. They may call you wanting to interview you. Don’t answer any questions from them and refer them to your attorney at Note and Kidd.

  • Act honestly relating to your injuries at all times. Be aware that the insurance company can hire a private investigator to surveil you to confirm the extent of your injuries.

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Dealing with the Insurance Company

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How much insurance coverage should I carry?

Insurance is designed to protect you in the event that you are in a collision, regardless of whether it is your fault or someone else’s fault. Think about what your assets are. If you have significant assets, you need substantial coverage so that those assets are not at risk of being seized pursuant to a judgment if you are found liable.

But what if you are a “good driver”? You should still carry substantial coverage, especially UIM and PIP coverages. Remember, with UIM and PIP you are insuring yourself in the event that the other driver doesn’t carry insurance or doesn’t carry enough insurance. In the state of Washington the minimum coverage is only $25,000 per person. Some states have even lower limits than that. An ambulance ride and an examination in the hospital ER can cost more than that. 

Managing and paying your medical expenses

One of the most stressful and frustrating aspects you may experience if you have been injured in a car accident is sorting through how to handle your medical bills. At Note and Kidd we can give you advise based upon your unique circumstances.

  • PIP – if you have PIP available to you, generally we will advise our clients to submit all bills to PIP until it is exhausted. 

  • Health Insurance – if you don’t have PIP, or if it is exhausted, then you should submit all your medical bills to your health insurance company for payment.

  • Medical provider lien – not all medical providers accept all forms or insurance. Some don’t accept any insurance at all. If you are seeking treatment from a provider that doesn’t accept your health insurance, and PIP is not available, then we may be able to work out a lien with the provider so that you are not charged anything for their services up front. Instead, those bills are paid from any settlement or judgment that you receive.

Understanding Insurance Coverages

If you have been injured in a car wreck, understanding the various layers of insurance is paramount to properly managing your claim. Many Auto Policies have various layers of coverage, including:

Property

  • This is coverage that extends to property that is damaged in a collision, including your vehicle and any real property involved.

Bodily Injury

  • This is coverage for bodily injury claims arising from a car accident. When we file a claim against the other driver, it is usually against their bodily injury coverage.

UIM

  • This stands for “Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist” coverage. This is coverage that you may be able to seek in the event that you are injured in a collision with another driver who is either unidentified, uninsured, or underinsured. Many times, in serious collisions, we are seeking the limits of both the other driver’s bodily injury coverage and our client’s own UIM policy.

PIP

  • This stands for “Personal Injury Protection.” In the event that you were injured in a car accident you may be able to obtain a PIP claim number from your own insurance company that will pay the upfront costs for your medical expenses. Be aware that in the state of Washington, you cannot access PIP coverage from the other driver unless you were a pedestrian at the time of the collision But you can access the driver’s PIP if you were a passenger in their vehicle.

What is my case worth?

One of the most common questions that we get at Note and Kidd is “what is my case worth?” Unfortunately, this is also one of the most difficult questions to answer. The value of every case varies based upon the unique facts involved, including:

  • Where did the accident happen? 

  • What are the extent of the injuries?

  • How much medical bills were incurred?

  • How long did the injured person seek treatment? 

  • Were there any lost wages?

  • Are there any permanent impairments? 

  • And how clear is liability? 

For example, cases involving broken bones or “blood and guts” are usually worth more than cases involving only soft tissue injuries, even if the medical bills incurred are identical. Similarly, a case where the plaintiff suffered a brain injury resulting in permanent impairment might be worth many times the value of a case with broken bones, even if the medical bills incurred are substantially less. An experienced personal injury attorney will know what to look for, will 

Finding the right Personal Injury Attorney

It is imperative that you find the right personal injury attorney. There are many huge national law firms that try to convince people that they are local. These law firms often deploy shady tactics to gain clients such as requesting accident reports and then contacting those who are obviously injured and soliciting their business. We’ve even had our clients tell us they were contacted by someone posing as an “injury help” firm and setting them up with an appointment with an equally shady medical provider. This was an attempt to trick our client into signing with another attorney. Don’t fall for these tactics. Do your research and hire a local attorney with years of experience, who personally handles their clients’ cases and who has a track record of winning. Call Note and Kidd to discuss your case today.