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While you may be entitled to financial compensation if the other driver (or a third party) was at fault, it is up to you to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.
At this point, we will assume that you are at home or in the hospital recovering after the accident. Here is what you should to do protect your legal rights going forward:
If you have any evidence from the scene of the Madison car accident, you should preserve it to share with your lawyers. This includes everything from photos and videos you took with your phone to the other driver’s insurance information, your copy of the police report, and any debris or damaged personal items that you have in your possession. While your lawyers will conduct a thorough investigation, any evidence that you can preserve will still be helpful for establishing your legal rights.
Along with preserving any evidence you have from the scene of the accident, you should also write down everything you can remember. This includes (but is not limited to) details such as:
When you are recovering from accident-related injuries, it is important to fully follow your doctor’s advice. Or, if you have concerns about your doctor’s advice, you should seek a second opinion promptly. Not only is this important for making sure the long-term physical effects of the accident are no greater than necessary, but it is important for protecting your right to just compensation as well.
Regardless of who you believe was at fault in the accident, you should contact your auto insurance company. You are almost certainly required to do so under the terms of your policy, and failing to report the accident promptly could result in a denial of coverage if you have a claim under the medical payments (MedPay) or uninsured/underinsured motorist (UIM) portion of your policy. However, when you contact your insurance company, you should state the basic facts only. Be careful not to make any assumptions, and do not let the adjuster talk you into saying that the accident could have possibly been your fault.
As you start the recovery process, you should also start to document your injuries’ day-to-day effects. One way to do this is by keeping a “pain journal” where you write down things like:
As you move through the recovery process, you will receive various forms of documentation from various sources. You should keep all of this documentation in a safe place. If you start a file where you immediately put your medical records, employment records, and receipts as you receive them, this will make it easy to share them with your lawyers.
Finally, in addition to taking the steps we’ve outlined above, you need to be careful to avoid certain mistakes as well. This includes discussing the details of the accident with anyone but your lawyers. You should not share the details of your accident with anyone—and this includes posting about the accident on social media.
To be clear, while these are all important steps to take after a Madison car accident, these are far from the only steps involved in protecting your legal rights. To ensure that you are doing everything necessary to maximize your chances of a full financial recovery, you should speak with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible.
For more information about how to protect your legal rights after a car accident in Madison, contact us today.
Call 608-268-0268 or get in touch online to schedule a FREE consultation as soon as possible. We proudly help clients in Madison and other areas in Wisconsin.
We live in Friendship, Wisconsin, and Boller & Vaughan came to our doorstep to discuss our mother’s wrongful death claim on a Saturday morning. Not only were we pleased with the large recovery, we were so thankful to have lawyers who were willing to explain to us every twist and turn along the way. It is great to know there is a law firm that will fight for the rights of elderly people all over Wisconsin.
Mr. Boller and Ms. Vaughan were incredible in working on my case and my daughter’s case. I was out of work and in the hospital with a new baby. Mr. Boller and Ms. Vaughan protected our rights and it was a pleasure to work with them. I hope never to be in another motor vehicle accident, however, if I am and I am injured, I will contact Boller & Vaughan immediately.
I was referred to Michelle through a friend. I have never had a better experience. It took a little over a year to get my settlement but the staff there stayed in constant contact and kept me in the loop. Oh, and Michelle actually got me MORE money than we discussed. I will refer anyone to this firm. Words cannot do justice the thanks that I have for Michelle and her staff (Mary especially) thank you guys so much!
After my husband died as a result of a motor vehicle accident, Boller & Vaughan spent countless hours talking with me, meeting with me in person, and making sure that I was okay. The drunk driver who hit us did not have any insurance, and we had to make a claim through our own insurance. Boller & Vaughan was fantastic at explaining the law to me and the handling of our claims.
After my son was injured in a daycare setting, Ms. Vaughan took the time to thoroughly investigate our case and my son’s injuries. Michele was approachable and had answers to our questions. Talking with her helped to relieve many of our anxieties.
