deeper pockets who share legal responsibility.

 

Example:  The home owner whose uneven sidewalk you tripped over has no insurance.  Perhaps the local municipality is legally responsible for ensuring that local residents maintain their sidewalks.  BLS will consult with you and research all aspects of your claim.

 

IMPORTANT STEPS

 

If you are injured in an accident, do the following. .

 

Be very careful about what you say at the accident scene.  Do not say anything that implies that you were wholly, or even partially, responsible or that you could have done something to avoid the accident.

 

If you believe that you are injured, say this and request medical help.  If you do not feel hurt, do not say that you feel fine.  Say only that you're not certain yet whether you are hurt.  It is very common to not notice injuries or register pain until many hours after an accident.  Some injuries are not apparent until days later.

 

Ask any witnesses what they saw.  If their version of events confirms that someone other than you was at fault, take their names and phone numbers.  Also, write down any statements, such as apologies or admissions of mistakes, made by the person at fault for your accident.  If others hear these statements, ask them to sign and date a note detailing what they heard.

 

If you're too injured to take names and statements, ask someone else on the scene to do so or give the witnesses your phone number and ask them to contact you later.  If you have a cell phone, ask witnesses to call your voice mail and leave their phone numbers.  Make sure the police get the names and numbers of any helpful witnesses.

 

Take photos of the accident scene as soon as possible.  The longer you wait, the greater the odds that the conditions will change.  Example:  The scene may change because of weather, repair, the cars may be scrapped or repaired.

 

Have someone take photos of your injuries right after the accident -- and again several days later if bruises become more visible. The more pictures the better they are truly worth 1000 words!

 

Schedule an appointment with your doctor if your injuries were not severe enough to require an immediate visit to the emergency room (it is best to go to the ER immediately).  This creates an official medical record and set up an independent professional witness to the injuries. REMEMBER what you say about your injuries has no value in the insurance claim process.

 

BLS will send a demand letter laying out the basic facts of the accident to the responsible party's insurance company. It will include copies of your medical bills, records and reports, as well as the police report and witness statements.  This is how the negotiations need to be handled. Trying to adjust your own claim is not wise because the claim system is complicated. You may only have one or two claims in a life time the adjuster for the at fault party handles hundreds every year.

 

Going to court.  BLS has 34 years of experience in injury claims. Going to court is a rare event in today's legal system. If the responsible party's insurance company does not offer a settlement that is consider acceptable, BLS will file suit on your behalf. THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE GOING TO TRIAL! Currently only 1 or 2 out of 100 suits that are filed ever goes to trial. The mandatory mediation system now requires that all parties appear before a mediator and settle their differences in a private conference where all parties get to present their claims and counter claims.