(Transcript)

Jim Adler: Hey everybody, welcome to Hammer TV. I’m Jim Adler, the Texas Hammer, and this is-

Bill Adler:  Bill Adler, the Texas Hammer.

Jim Adler: Today we’re going to talk about what to do if you’ve been in a car accident. Bill, start by talking about some important steps to take.

Bill Adler: Well, after a car accident, first you want to make sure everybody in your vehicle is safe and okay. After you determined that everybody is safe and okay, next you want to call 911 and request that a police officer come to the scene, and if you’re injured, also requests that an ambulance come. Police are important because people later on changed their stories. Can you talk a little bit about how you’ve seen people change their stories?

Jim Adler:  Oh gosh. It’s ridiculous. People will come up to you and say, “Oh, Mr. Jones, I’m so sorry. This was my fault. My insurance company is going to take care of it.” Guess what? They change their mind later and they tell their insurance company, “Oh, that guy was so negligent. It was his fault. I’m not paying a dime.” What else should they do, bill?

Bill Adler: Well. Another important thing is to take pictures of not only your vehicle but the other person’s vehicle. Equally important is take a picture of the insurance card from the other person, and also take a picture of their driver’s license. Also, if you’re hurt, can you talk a little bit about medical attention for people who are injured?

Jim Adler: Well, if you’re badly hurt, don’t be afraid to get in an ambulance because you may have some life threatening condition. But if you have a family doctor, be sure and go to your doctor. If your neck hurts, your back hurts, if you think you’re injured, and don’t talk to the insurance company. Why is that so dangerous, bill?

Bill Adler: Well, oftentimes what I see as people talking to the insurance company, because they just don’t know it’s dangerous because after an accident, your adrenaline’s up. You don’t really know what you should say, what you shouldn’t say. And then sometimes you just start talking. If you start talking, the insurance company can twist your words, and make it seem like it’s your fault. So medical bills are costs associated with an accident that people oftentimes have when they go to the hospital. But if you’re injured, you need to seek immediate care, and sometimes going to the hospital is the appropriate thing.

Bill Adler: Sometimes people don’t want to go to the hospital, but if you don’t go to the hospital, it’s important to evidence your injuries. What I mean by evidencing your injuries is going to a doctor, a chiropractor, a physical therapist, someone who can document your injuries. Some injuries or physical or mental, and they may not be readily apparent after a crash. So let’s talk a little bit about compensation for future longterm medical care. Can you take us through that?

Jim Adler: Well, it’s what we lawyers call the elements of damages. Your past, present, and future hospital bills, your lost wages. If you’re hurt and you can’t work, somebody somewhere owes you some money for your lost wages, and normally it’s the person that hit you that was at fault. So there’s certain steps that you need to take regarding that as well. What is the biggest mistake that you see, bill?

Bill Adler: Well, number one, talking to the insurance company prematurely, not getting immediate medical care. If you don’t get immediate medical care what the insurance company can often say is, “Well, you’re not really hurt or you would have gone to the doctor.” That’s an argument that they use against us a lot. So if you’re injured, make sure you get immediate care from someone who can document your injuries, and help you feel better. So, after you’ve been involved in an accident, you want to talk to an experienced car accident attorney just like Jim and us because we can help you, and guide you through the chicanes, and the tricks, and the turns of the insurance company, and we can make sure you don’t fall victim to another trap or another detrimental accident that I see people fall into.

Jim Adler: Don’t fall for the tricks and traps of the insurance company. And if someone shows up at your house from the insurance company, do not talk to them. Don’t accept their lousy check for $100 because they say, “Oh, Mr. Smith, I feel so sorry for what my driver did to you. Here’s a check for $100. We’re being really generous.”

Jim Adler:  If you have any questions, anything at all, please call us at 1-800-567-7575 or you can contact us on the web at jimadler.com.

Jim Adler:  Thanks everybody for watching Hammer TV. Ask us questions, write to us, and let us know what you’d like us to discuss on the show next time, and we’d really love it if you’d share this video with friends, family, neighbors, loved ones that might need some help. We’re here to help. That would mean a lot to us. So this is Jim and Bill Adler, the Texas Hammers.

Jim Adler: Signing off for today. Call us when you need us. We’re waiting.

https://www.jimadler.com/car-accident-lawyer/