Straight Talk Law: Seattle, Washington Personal Injury Lawyer Jason Epstein On What To Do After A Car Accident

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Undoubtedly, you don’t like to think about the experience of being in a car accident, anymore than you (or anyone else) like to consider being involved in any unpleasant situation. But consider this – the odds are that one out of every four people will be in a car accident at some point in their lifetime.

As a personal injury lawyer practicing in the Seattle, Washington area, I deal with car accident victims every day – and many times, they just didn’t know how to properly react after the accident. If they do have a legitimate claim regarding wrongful death or personal injury, this lack of knowledge can sometimes hurt their legal case, which is unfortunate.

I’d like to share with you a few simple tips on what to do when a car accident occurs, so you and your loved ones have as much legal protection as possible.

• Make sure your auto insurance information is in your glove compartment, as well as a pre-printed form that will allow you to write down what exactly happened and draw a sketch of the scene of the car accident.

• Make sure you read the “Conditions” part of your policy that states what you should do in the event of a car accident and follow those instructions. You may forfeit some rights if you don’t.

• Also, keep a disposable camera in your glove compartment allowing you to immediately take pictures of the car accident scene.

• You should always stay at the scene of the accident until police have not only arrived, but also left. Get the names of the officers and make sure they know your version of what happened, even if you think the car accident was relatively minor.

• Always exchange names, addresses, insurance info and driver’s license numbers with the driver of the other car.

• If there are any witnesses to the car accident, make sure you get their contact information as well.

• Report the accident promptly to your insurance company, even if you think it’s relatively minor. You don’t know if the other driver will come after you later for medical expenses or other damages. Your insurer should be informed.

• You may also want to immediately consult with a personal injury and/or wrongful death attorney such as myself, especially if there is significant bodily harm or even a fatality. Even if there isn’t, it’s still important to know the laws of the state in which the car accident occurred and what you need to do to best protect your rights.

Just as people who live in areas prone to hurricanes and earthquakes prepare for the worst, so should you when it comes to the possibility of being involved in a car accident. My final advice to you is to keep a copy of this article in your glove compartment as well (along with your insurance information and your disposable camera!), so you can refer to it easily.

For more free “Straight Talk Law” information, please visit my website at www.straighttalklaw.com, where you can order free books on personal injury lawyers, Washington auto accidents, auto insurance, and other valuable legal information, offered as a public service by myself and my law practice in Seattle, Washington.

About the Author

Jason Epstein joined Premier Law Group as a partner in 2007. Jason is a litigator handling all types of personal injury cases with an emphasis on serious plaintiff’s personal injury and insurance coverage. Jason is a member of the Washington State Association for Justice and serves within its leadership. Jason often speaks at CLEs and serves as an arbitrator for both private and mandatory arbitration matters. Jason completed a certificate in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution and the Trial Advocacy program through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Jason has been dedicated to representing injured people since 1999. Jason Epstein has been representing individuals against insurance companies and large corporations since 2001. He limits his practice to personal injury and wrongful death cases including auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, or other serious and catastrophic injuries. Hopefully you have already visited StraightTalkLaw.com. This website is loaded with tons of information, and is constantly updated to keep you informed of recent developments. You can also stay up to date by following the blogs which are linked toStraightTalkLaw.com Jason understands that providing the best legal representation to his clients means limiting the number of cases he accepts. He takes fewer cases so he has more time for you. By limiting his caseload, Mr. Epstein is able to give each client and each case the time and attention that they deserve. If you would like to see if your case qualifies for Mr. Epstein to represent you, please contact us throughStraightTalkLaw.com, request one or more of Jason’s books, or call us toll free at (888) 333-1873.

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