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Findgreatlawyers.com is the leading resource for people looking for Illinois lawyer referrals and legal guidance. Since 2001 we have helped tens of thousands of people with their legal matters for almost every area of Illinois law including personal injury. We are based out of Chicago, but help throughout Illinois. If you would like more information about our service please see our how it works section. If you would like our help please complete our contact us form or call us at (312) 346-5320. For general information on what to do after an accident please read on.

If you have been in an accident, whether it’s getting hit by a car, slipping on a wet floor in a store or something unusual like breaking your leg when a deck railing you were leaning on collapsed, there will be a million thoughts in your head and lots of people offering you advice. Every situation is different, but we think you will find the following 10 tips apply to most situations and are really useful.

1. Seek medical treatment if you are hurt. Whether you were at fault, someone else was at fault or no one was at fault, nothing is more important than your health. If you are injured get treatment. If you start to feel bad after a couple of days get treatment. Failure to get medical help can make a mild injury worse and can also mess up any legal case you might have.
2. Call the police or have another independent party complete an accident form. If you are hurt at a store, they would be the ones you would end up suing. Don’t rely on them to send you an accident report, demand a signed copy from the store or get another independent report.
3. Take photos or video. If you want to show how damaged your car was to a jury or how severe your bruise was, a photo or video is the best evidence. In addition, taking photos or video can help prove liability. A good personal injury lawyer will usually have an investigator that will do this for you if you hire them in time.
4. Memorialize everything that happened. You may not end up suing someone, but if you do, you won’t be before a jury for years. Write down everything that happened including exactly when, where and how it occurred along with what you were feeling physically after. This can be a very useful tool for refreshing your memory years from now.
5. Don’t give a recorded statement to an insurance company or other representative for a potential defendant. The people that take these statements are not looking out for your best interests and in some cases will twist your words to help their case. There is an old saying that anything you say can and will be used against you. It’s true for civil lawsuits too. Don’t say anything without your lawyer present.
6. Don’t think right away about what your case might be worth. Instead, focus on your health. You can’t settle a case until your medical treatment is complete and you are as good as you are going to get. Worry about getting better and everything else will take care of itself.
7. Seek legal guidance. For many of the reasons mentioned above, having an experienced personal injury lawyer in your corner can allow you to focus on your health and not worry about the hassles that come with a case. It should also prevent you from making any mistakes that could hurt you down the road.
8. Keep track of medical bills and lost time from work. Even if a medical bill is paid for by your insurance, if it’s related to an accident that is someone else’s fault it is part of your damages. Keeping track of this will make sure nothing falls through the cracks.
9. Communicate. If you aren’t feeling well, tell your doctor. If you have a medical update, are unable to work, are feeling better, etc. tell your lawyer. Both your lawyer and doctor have many other clients and will be counting on you to tell them of important developments. Doctors and lawyers tend to assume things are ok unless you tell them otherwise.
10. Don’t listen to non-lawyers or anyone else not directly involved in your case. When you have an accident, especially if it is serious, almost everyone you know will have an opinion for you. While most people mean well, the reality is that no two cases or situations are alike and what was best for your neighbor isn’t necessarily best for you. It’s also true that if your co-worker got $30,000.00 for his case that yours, even if you have a similar injury, might be worth much less or much more. Whether it’s differences as to how the accident occurred, the extent of the injury, who the defendant is or many other things, remember that you and your situation are unique.

If you have any questions about what to do after an accident or would like an attorney referral, please contact us at (800) 517-1614 and we will try to help you.

Since 2001, findgreatlawyers.com has helped tens of thousands of people who have Illinois legal matters. Find out for yourself why our users feel like access to our website is like having an Illinois attorney in the family.