Personal Injury - Documenting the Scene

    We have talked about the general overview of personal injury cases and some important things to remember when you are involved in a personal injury case. Another question we get a lot when we meet initially with clients is whether the client should have taken pictures or tried to do more to document the scene of the accident. In auto accident cases, most police departments will take pictures of the scene of the accident and the damage to any vehicles in the accident. So, for the most part, some evidence will be saved by the investigating officers. However, there are many ways with which our clients run into unfortunate accidents leading the injury. These range from slip and falls, dog bites, trip and falls, and many other accidents. There are not always police to help document the scene, and a few pictures can go a long way towards getting a more efficient and prompt settlement.

     If you are involved in one of these unfortunate injuries, the first thing to address is medical treatment. This cannot be stressed enough. The most important thing is always to get help and get the medical treatment you need as soon as you can get it. However, in today's era everyone seems to have a cell phone or a small camera with them at just about all times. One of the most helpful things to do if it is possible is to take out the camera and document the scene. We have had many cases where a client's simple idea of taking a couple of pictures with their cell phone has made a significant difference in the outcome of their case. These range from taking pictures of black ice formed in the parking lot, to pictures of a set of stairs that was in violation of state building codes, and even to an auto accident where the investigating officer did not have a camera due to their town's cost constraints.

     Regardless of whether a client has the wherewithal to document the scene where they were injured, it is always a priority for our office. We take great efforts to learn the facts of the accident and how to diagram what happened for a potential jury. This ability to show the individuals involved with deciding your case exactly what happened helps remove doubt from the insurance company and/or opposing counsel, and leads to more prompt and efficient resolutions. This is just one of the many ways our office has honed and refined our injury practice over the many years we have been handling injury cases. This allows for easier resolutions and less stress for our clients.

     If you were injured, please contact our office today so we can help you get the solution you need to more forward.

Injury Claims – The Road Map to Getting Back to Normal

The key to understanding injury claims is that claims handling is driven by insurance requirements. The vast majority of injury claims are resolved by settlement.  The parties to the settlement discussions are most commonly the injured party, his/her attorney and an insurance company. It is necessary to know how insurance companies process claims in order to achieve the best possible result. The most important thing to remember is that insurance companies rely heavily on objective information to form a valuation of each claim. This comes in the form of medical and billing records, accident reports, pictures, lost wages documentation, and other related records. The more complete your documentation the better your chance of a satisfactory result. Gathering documentation should be your first priority when you suffer from an unfortunate injury.

Here at Parnell & McKay, we make information gathering a top priority in each injury claim we handle. Our attorneys have the knowledge and know how to be able to track down every piece of important documentation on your claim. We understand what insurance companies are looking for, and we exert pressure on insurance companies based on that knowledge in order to obtain the highest settlement for our clients. We have secured millions of dollars in compensation for our clients using this time tested practice, and look forward to helping future injured parties get back on their feet.

If you were injured, read more about our personal injury practice here. As always in injury cases, consultations are free. Contact us today.