Being involved in an accident that leaves you unable to work for an extended period of time can make life very difficult, especially if you’re already living paycheck to paycheck.
There are many people who end up having their lives spiral out of control when they’re injured through no fault of their own because they don’t know what steps to take after the accident occurs.
The following guide provides valuable steps you can use to ensure you don’t lose everything you worked so hard to earn just because you were involved in an accident.
Go to See a Doctor Right Away
When you are injured, it’s best to go to the doctor as quickly as you can. There are some people who are head strong and assume that they will be able to take care of themselves only to find out later on that the pain is too intense for them to bear and then they head to the hospital.
If you wait to seek medical treatment, the other person can claim that you were injured after the last time that they saw you, and it’ll be very hard to prove what happened during the accident.
When you go to the doctor, be sure to get copies of any information that he or she gathers. You need to be able to provide the information directly to your attorney and to the insurance company so that you can prove the severity of your injuries.
Ask Your Doctor About the Recovery Process
Before you leave the doctor’s office, it’s a good idea to find out what the recovery process will be. Find out if you will have to have physical therapy, any surgeries, and how long it will take before you can go back to work.
This allows you to estimate how much you have to pay in total for the care that you need.
Hire an Attorney
When you are involved in an accident, it’s important to contact an attorney right away so that you can understand your rights.
People often make the mistake of assuming that an insurance company will automatically pay their medical bills, the time they miss from work and the pain and agony that they go through during the healing process, but this is often not the case.
Insurance companies are in the business of making money. Most companies will try to pay you as little as possible and some will even try to avoid compensating you altogether. Hiring an attorney allows him or her to…
