What Should I Do if I Broke My Bone in a Car Accident?

No one walks or drives around expecting to be injured in a car accident. But accidents occur when we least expect it, and that's a reality we should always be prepared for. When you break your bone in a car accident, you'll most likely be in so much pain. Knowing what to do amid the pain can significantly change your case. Here are some steps to guide you. 

Safety Comes First

The first and most important thing when you're injured in a car accident is to ensure that you're safe. If possible, move to a safe area and then call 911. If you can't move, call 911 and describe the accident scene. If you can't call 911 for any reason, ask anyone around you to do so.

Not calling 911 after a car accident is one mistake you may regret for a long time. Here's why. 

When you file a claim against the other party's insurance company, they won't just believe your side of the story without asking questions. Even if you've been severely injured due to their insured's negligence, insurance companies will try to find a reason to blame you for the accident. 

Having a police report helps strengthen your case. Since police officers are sworn to uphold the law, the insurer will most likely believe the police report. When police officers arrive at the accident scene, make sure you obtain their names and badge numbers. You should also request a copy of the police report, if possible. 

Collect Important Information

After ensuring that you're safe, collect information about the accident. For example, if another driver hit you and they stopped at the scene of the accident, you'll need their:

• Full name and contact information
• Insurance information
• Driver's license
• Vehicle's license plate number
• Description of the vehicle
• Time and location of the accident

Take pictures of the accident scene and any damages. If you've suffered any visible injuries, such as bleeding, make sure you document that as well. 

If there are any witnesses available other than the police officers, take their contact information and ask them if they'd be willing to testify when called upon. When you file a claim against the insurance company, the witness statements could help prove certain aspects of the accident if the insurer questions the validity of your claim. 

Seek Medical Attention

Seeking immediate medical attention helps establish the condition of your injuries. Therefore, it's crucial that you go for a medical checkup even if you feel alright right after the accident.

Depending on the nature of your injuries, you might feel fine the first few hours or days after the accident. And if the other driver is at fault for the accident, their insurer will most likely offer to fix your car or property if damaged. 

When the insurance provider settles the costs of repairing your car or any other property damaged due to their insured's negligence, you may not see the importance of filing a medical claim because you're not experiencing symptoms at that particular moment. But if you begin to feel pain and discomfort days after the accident and then later discover that you suffered broken bones, it may be much more difficult to file a claim with the insurance company.

This is because the insurer will most likely claim that you got injured elsewhere and that you're attempting to hold them responsible for injuries their insured had nothing to do with. Your attorney will then have to prove that you sustained those injuries during the car accident.

But this won't be the easiest case to prove. Firstly, your attorney will have little evidence to work with. Secondly, the burden of proof will be much heavier on your side, giving the defendant an advantage. 

The legal aspect aside, seeking medical attention right after the accident can help detect any injuries deriving from the accident early enough. For example, some victims of car accidents suffer internal bleeding, but it's not always easy to detect this type of injury without medical scans. 

Internal bleeding can lead to blood clot buildup and slow, painful death. This explains why medical professionals recommend checkups even if you're not experiencing any major symptoms after a car accident. Generally, it's better to be safe than sorry in such a situation. 

Contact the Insurer

You've probably read on many blogs and websites encouraging you to file a claim with the insurer right after an accident. Filing a claim is indeed an important step in the process. In fact, it establishes your intention to seek compensation for injuries caused due to the other party's negligence. 

However, it's the timing that matters. Here's why.

It makes sense to file a claim if your vehicle or property was damaged in the accident, but you didn't suffer any physical injuries. Even so, you'll still need to confirm that you're injury-free by seeing an experienced doctor for medical tests right after the accident. If the doctor concludes that you didn't suffer any injuries, you might as well go ahead and file a claim to recover the damages to your vehicle or property. 

However, if you've suffered significant injuries during the accident, filing a claim prematurely isn't usually the best idea. Rather, the most important thing is that you continue to receive treatment for your injuries. In such a situation, the best thing to do is to notify the other driver's insurance company about the accident.

While doing so, avoid providing too many details about the accident. This is not the time to discuss who's at fault, where you were driving to, etc. Instead, you can let them know about the date, time, and location of the accident.

Be careful when talking to insurance companies about an accident. Although they may sound friendly over the phone, they always wish that you'll say something they can use against you when you file a claim. 

Why Should You Always Contact an Attorney Before Filing a Claim?

Some insurance companies will even threaten to close your case if you don't negotiate. Others will threaten you with imaginary deadlines. The reason for doing this is to pressure you into accepting a settlement before talking to an attorney. They know that if you contact a reputable personal injury law firm like Morgan & Morgan, their fierce army of attorneys will help you recover every damage suffered during the accident, including the medical costs for treating your broken bones. 

One of the main reasons to contact an attorney after suffering broken bones due to a car accident caused by a negligent driver is to understand your rights. Many people file successful claims with insurance companies, without attorneys, but regret it months or years down the line.

You shouldn't expect an insurance company to inform you about your rights after such an injury. They can't tell you what you may be entitled to as compensation because they're in business, and the main point of business is to limit expenses and increase profits. 

The sooner you understand that you're not more than an expense to an insurance company, the better you get at dealing with them. Don't trust what insurance companies say; they'll always put their interests first above anything else. So even if they sound friendly and collaborative over the phone, they could be trying to close the case as soon as possible, preventing you from hiring an attorney. 

After such an accident, your attorney should be your true friend. This is the one person who'll genuinely fight for your interests. When you contact Morgan & Morgan for a free case evaluation, you'll understand what you may be entitled to as compensation for your injuries. 

Suppose the insurer told you that you could only recover medical expenses. In that case, you'd be surprised to find out that you may also be eligible for compensation for loss of wages, loss of future earning capacity, pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, etc. 

Your attorney will examine your case and identify any loopholes the insurance company could use to jeopardize your claim. Remember, insurance companies hire claims adjusters to limit what they need to pay as settlement for damages. These individuals always put the insurer's interests above anything else.

So if you think that you have a solid case against the defendant, you'll be surprised to discover that the other party has their own set of evidence against you. This evidence could be what you told the claims adjusters during the initial conversation, something you posted on social media, or anything in between. 

It's also important to keep in mind that insurance companies make millions of dollars every year as profits. For this reason, they can afford some of the finest defense attorneys to represent them when you pursue the claim in court. Your chances of winning such a legal battle are much lower if you don't have an experienced car accident attorney specializing in broken bones on your team. But that's not something you should be worried about when you contact Morgan & Morgan. Here's why. 

We're the Largest Personal Injury Law Firm in the United States

Morgan & Morgan is by far the largest personal injury law firm in the country. So when you work with our attorneys, you'll rest easy knowing that you're working with the best in the industry. We know the different tactics insurance companies use to frustrate victims of car accidents, and that's why our army of over 1,000 attorneys is here to help. 

Proven Experience in Handling Broken Bones Claims

Morgan & Morgan has been serving clients all over the United States for more than three decades. We've handled all types of injuries caused by negligent drivers. From broken bones to whiplash, there's no injury claim or lawsuit that's too difficult for us to handle. And we have the results to prove it. 

Free, No-Obligation Case Evaluation

You have nothing to lose but so much to gain when you contact us for a free case evaluation. You may never know what you may be entitled to as compensation for your injuries unless you speak with an experienced attorney. When you contact us for a case evaluation, everything you share with us will be highly confidential. We'll then review your case and get in touch with you to discuss your matter. And if you have a valid case against the other party, we'll walk you through the steps to file a claim with the insurance company.

Help Getting Treatment and Other Important Services

Remember, filing a claim on your behalf is just one of the many benefits of working with our attorneys. We know the best places to seek medical treatment, where to go for therapy, who to contact if you need counseling, etc. When it comes to the world of personal injury cases, we have unlimited resources to get you the help you need to hold the other party accountable for their negligence. 

No Upfront Fees

You probably think that it's expensive to work with Morgan & Morgan, the country's largest personal injury law firm. But that's not the case. We don't charge any fees unless we win. 

This is because our law firm is for the people. We are not one of those injury law firms that only serve the interests of the wealthy and successful. We're not driven by greed. Instead, we genuinely believe in helping our clients obtain the compensation they would otherwise miss out on if they didn't have an attorney.

Most of our clients are ordinary working-class people who've suffered injuries due to someone else's negligence. For such people, the cost of hiring an attorney is usually out of the question. And insurance companies love dealing with such people because they know they'll frustrate them into accepting lowball offers. In fact, many insurance companies make billions of profits every year, benefiting from low balling innocent people who only need what's enough to help them manage their injuries and live a normal life like everyone else.

Don't let insurance providers deny you what you may be entitled to as compensation for your injuries. Call Morgan & Morgan at 877-479-7754 or fill out our free online consultation form, and one of our legal experts will get back to you as soon as possible.