Car and Truck Accidents

Absolutely. Although it is possible that you do not believe that your injuries are particularly bad, it is possible that there is more going on beneath the surface than you are aware of. Accidents involving cars frequently result in victims suffering from internal injuries.

If you go to the doctor, they will be able to diagnose and treat all of your injuries, both internal and external, more quickly. This will improve the overall quality of your care. This has the potential to cut the risk of complications, infections, and even death by a significant amount.

In addition, you can strengthen your case for damages by getting medical attention as soon as possible following the accident that caused them. The medical report that is prepared as a result of your visit can assist in determining the cause of the problem. The concept of causation is fundamental to the concept of carelessness, which most likely will serve as the basis of your personal injury claim. Your claim for damages will be strengthened significantly if you document your injuries as soon as they occur.

It is imperative that you contact the Local Police Department as soon as possible after being involved in an accident. An officer will come down to the scene and prepare a traffic accident report, which can be beneficial down the road in the event that you decide to file a claim for injuries sustained as a result of the collision.

To receive a copy, you will need to fill out a Request for Copy of Collision Record, after which you may either hand it in person at the reporting precinct or send it via mail to the address listed on the form. This is to be done within the thirty days following the filing of the report. You also have the option of going online to the Collision Report Retrieval Portal and looking for a copy of the report there. Remember that after your report has been submitted, it may not appear in the system for up to seven business days after it has been submitted.

In the event that you were involved in an accident, you would most likely need to file a claim with your insurance company in order to receive benefits from your policy.

You should begin by informing your provider that an accident has taken place as soon as possible. The failure to submit notice might make matters more complicated and may even result in a claim being rejected.

Notifying your insurer is different from submitting a claim to them for payment. After you have gathered sufficient evidence for your claim, which should include the extent of your damages as well as proof of those damages, you will send it in along with a demand letter.

When an insurance company gets a claim, they have a legal obligation to investigate it within a reasonable amount of time after receiving it.

Your insurance provider has the option of granting the claim in its entirety and paying you the total amount that you asked, granting the claim in part and paying you a portion of the amount that you wanted, or denying the claim in its entirety. You retain the ability to file an appeal of the decision in the event that your claim is rejected in its entirety or in part.

In the event that a settlement is presented to you, you retain the ability to refuse it and make a fresh offer. This going back and forth could take quite some time. An ultimate offer will be made available to policyholders by the insurer at some point in the future. You have the option of appealing the decision or proceeding with the lawsuit if you choose to turn down the offer. Once you accept the settlement, your personal injury claim for damages is closed.

The most effective way to determine whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation is to review the specifics of your accident with an experienced attorney who specializes in personal injury law. Because of this, The Selvin Law Firm provides all accident victims on Long Island and in New York with a free initial consultation. In this way, you will be able to gain insight into the strength of your case and how our legal practice may be able to assist you in navigating the claims process.

When we get together to discuss your case, we will give careful attention to what you have to say and how you see what happened. There is a possibility that we will ask you to repeat things a few times and then ask you some questions. We're just trying to figure out what happened, who might have been involved, and whether or not you have a solid claim for damages at this point.

Call the Police While at the Scene of the Accident

It is imperative that you contact the Police Department as soon as possible after being involved in an accident. An officer will come down to the scene and prepare a traffic accident report, which can be beneficial down the road in the event that you decide to file a claim for injuries sustained as a result of the collision.

Seek Medical Treatment for Your Injuries

If you were injured in the accident due to the negligence of the other driver, the next step is to seek treatment for your injuries from a healthcare provider. Although it is possible that you do not believe your injuries are particularly bad, it is possible that there is more going on beneath the surface than you are aware of. Accidents involving cars frequently result in victims suffering from internal injuries.

If you go to the doctor, they will be able to diagnose and treat all of your injuries, both internal and external, more quickly. This will improve the overall quality of your care. This has the potential to cut the risk of complications, infections, and even death by a significant amount.

In addition, you can strengthen your case for damages by getting medical attention as soon as possible following the accident that caused them. The medical report that is prepared as a result of your visit can assist in determining the cause of the problem. The concept of causation is fundamental to the concept of carelessness, which most likely will serve as the basis of your personal injury claim. Your claim for damages will be strengthened significantly if you document your injuries as soon as they occur.

Notify Your Auto Insurance Provider

You should begin by informing your auto insurance provider that an accident has taken place as soon as possible. The failure to submit notice might make matters more complicated and may even result in a claim being rejected. When an insurance company gets a claim, they have a legal obligation to investigate it within a reasonable amount of time after receiving it.  

Call The Selvin Law Firm to Determine Whether You Have a Case

The most effective way to determine whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation is to review the specifics of your accident with an experienced attorney who specializes in personal injury law. The Selvin Law Firm provides all accident victims a free initial consultation. In this way, you will be able to gain insight into the strength of your case and how our legal practice may be able to assist you in navigating the claims process.

When we get together to discuss your case, we will give careful attention to what you have to say and how you see what happened. There is a possibility that we will ask you to repeat things a few times and then ask you some questions. We're just trying to figure out what happened, who might have been involved, and whether or not you have a solid claim for damages at this point.

To receive a copy, you will need to fill out a "Request for Copy of Collision Record", after which you may either hand it in person at the reporting precinct or send it via mail to the address listed on the form. This is to be done within the thirty days following the filing of the report. You also have the option of going online to the Collision Report Retrieval Portal and looking for a copy of the report there. Remember that after your report has been submitted, it may not appear in the system for up to seven business days after it has been submitted by the police department.

Management of Your Claim

The Selvin Law Firm will assist in completing and submitting the forms necessary to ensure your injury-related medical bills are paid by the auto insurance provider and The Selvin Law Firm will notify the at-fault vehicle’s auto insurance provider that they represent you in your claim for personal injuries.  

• Vehicle Damage:  Payment for the damage to your vehicle is typically managed between the auto body shop you’ve chosen and an auto insurance provider. The damage to your vehicle is called “property damage” and is typically covered by the at fault vehicle’s insurance company.  (In certain situations, you may choose to have your vehicle repaired under the collision provision of your auto insurance policy.)
• Payment of Injury Related Medical Bills: If you were injured in an accident involving your vehicle, forms need to be completed and filed with your insurance company so that they may pay your medical bills.  If you were a pedestrian, the forms need to be filed with the auto insurance provider of the vehicle that hit you.  When you retain The Selvin Law Firm, they will take care of ensuring that these forms are submitted to the appropriate insurance company in a timely manner.
• Filing a Personal Injury Claim:  Lastly, the at-fault vehicle’s insurance company needs to be put on notice that you are seeking damages (money) as a result of the injuries you sustained due of their insured’s negligence.  The Selvin Law Firm will manage the development of your case.  All you need to do is follow the directions of your treating healthcare providers and keep your appointments.

Development of Your Personal Injury Claim:

As you treat with healthcare providers, your claim for personal injuries is documented in the form of medical records. After a sufficient period of time, The Selvin Law Firm will request your medical records from those healthcare providers and put together documents that support your claim for economic (if any) and non-economic losses you may have sustained as a result of the accident.  The Selvin Law Firm will outline your claim in detail and submit a “Demand Letter” to the defendant’s auto insurance provider.

Negotiations:  The insurance company, when responding to the Demand Letter, has the option of granting the claim in its entirety and paying you the total amount demanded, granting the claim in part and offering you a portion of the amount that you wanted, or denying the claim in its entirety. The experienced lawyers at The Selvin Law Firm will inform you of the amount offered and advise you as to the fairness of the offer based upon the unique details of your claim. You retain the ability to refuse the offer or have your attorney lower the demand amount. This going back and forth, also known as negotiations, could take quite some time. An ultimate offer will be made available by the insurer at some point in the future. If you accept the settlement, your claim will be resolved. Once you agree to accept the settlement offer, your case is considered resolved.

Law Suits:  The experienced attorneys at The Selvin Law Firm may decide that the best way to protect your interests is to file a law suit against the defendant(s).  The case will then proceed to discovery and documentation will be exchanged with the defendant(s), such as, but not limited to, medical records, employment records etc., The documents that are exchanged must be relevant to the unique details of your case.  For example, if you are not claiming lost wages or lost time from work, then your employment records are not relevant to the case and will not be exchanged with the defendant(s).  After discovery is exchanged, you will be asked to provide testimony under oath and answer questions posed by the defense attorneys.  As the case moves forward, you will have to appear for a medical examination(s) by a doctor(s) chosen by the defense.  These doctors are only permitted to examine the parts of your body that were injured in the accident.  The defense may decide to make a settlement offer at any point in the process leading to trial.  If an offer is not made or accepted, then the case will proceed to trial where a jury will decide liability and damages.  Once again, the experienced attorneys at The Selvin Law Firm will advise you along the way and take appropriate actions based on the unique details of your accident.  For example, The Selvin Law Firm may decide it appropriate to file a motion for Summary Judgment on liability.  If summary judgment on liability is granted by the Court in your favor, then the jury will only have to render a decision on damages (money).

The Selvin Law Firm is committed to providing professional service to every client.  Regardless of the size of the case, every client has access to our attorneys and paralegal staff.  When you call, if an attorney is not available to take your call at that moment, you can expect to receive a call back.  Our attorneys will answer legal questions and provide legal advice.  Our paralegals are available to answer general and/or procedural questions.  Our office will notify you by letter at each significant point in the development of your case.  You will receive phone calls from time to time to ascertain your progress in achieving your pre-accident condition.  Every client matters at The Selvin Law Firm.