Most people will be involved in a car accident at some point in their lives. Whether it’s a serious accident or a minor one, just because a person has been in an accident does not mean that they are free from false beliefs. At Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas we have seen many clients believe these four myths.
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You Don’t Need to Call the Police
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Your Insurance Company Will Handle It All
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If You Discover an Injury Months Later, You Have No Options
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You Don’t Need an Attorney
Unless your accident is extremely minor and there is no damage and no one is injured, you should call the police. They will file a report that may be essential to winning your personal injury case. Do not assume that the everyone involved will be honest. You want a police officer there to note the facts and issue a citation. Note that the police will not determine fault – that is up to the insurance companies and courts to decide.
False. You may assume that if you are dealing with your own insurance company that they will be on your side. The fact is that they are looking to pay out as little as possible. If you are dealing with another person’s insurance company then you should be extra wary.
If you are presented with a settlement offer, you should always talk to a personal injury attorney before deciding if you should take it. The insurance company knows that most people who have been injured want to get paid as quickly as possible and they are counting on that fact for you to simply take the settlement. However, it may not cover essential damages such as lost wages, pain and suffering, future medical costs related to the accident, and rehab costs. When you work with an attorney, we will assure that all damages are considered.
This depends. If you accepted a settlement then yes, it is true that you would not be able to file a personal injury claim. However, if you have not yet accepted a settlement, and you are still within the statute of limitations, your attorney may be able to prove that your injury is related to the accident. For most cases, the statute of limitations is two years.
You are not required to hire an attorney but it is to your benefit. At Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, we begin with a free, confidential consultation. If you have a valid claim and we decide to take your case, we will do so on a contingency basis. This assures that you do not owe us a penny unless we win your case. If we do not win, then you do not owe us anything.
If you believe you may have a case then we urge you to contact us now at 909-982-0707.
