Many clients ask when they need to contact an attorney.  Generally speaking, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible after an accident has occurred.  From the moment the accident happens, the opposing insurance company is working to minimize your claim.  They are taking statements, reviewing police reports, and, if necessary, reconstructing the accident in a light most favorable to their insured.  All of this can negatively impact your rights.

In cases involving semi-trucks, the need for immediate assistance is even clearer.  Federal safety regulations provide detailed requirements for truck driver and commercial carriers, including hours of service, supervision, and drivers logs.  After an accident with a commercial vehicle, it is important to preserve the evidence to determine the cause of the accident.  An attorney can also assist in making sure that trucking companies protect all evidence in their control or run the risk that a jury can conclude that the trucking company is hiding something.

Hiring an attorney immediately also means that, if an accident reconstructionist is necessary, our experts can begin working as soon as possible, including while the vehicles are still at the scene of the accident.  Our experts will also work with the investigating agency to ensure that the truth about the accident is presented to a jury.

All of this may be necessary to protect your rights and can only occur once you contact us.  So contact Broadbent Law today so we can put our expertise to work for you.

At Broadbent Law, we recognize that people are inundated with lawyer advertising.  But do you really need a persona injury attorney or can you handle the claim yourself?  If you are trying to handle your own personal injury case, where do you begin?  How do you avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that can impact the value of your claim?  How do you make sure that you don’t ruin your claim by improperly negotiating with the insurance company or by responding to their tactics?  How can you make sure that you are not taken advantage of and that you receive the full value of your claim?

At Broadbent Law, we want to help.  If you want to handle your own accident case, we understand.  However, if you want a quick answer to a question or a concern, just call our office.  We are willing to assist with minor questions to make sure that you don’t destroy the value of your claim.  We will also help you consider alternative routes of recovery.  And, at any time during the process, if you’d like us to completely handle your claim, we are willing to do that as well.  So for a quick question, or full representation, contact Broadbent Law today.

One of the first questions clients ask is, “How much is my case worth?”  The answer depends on numerous factors, including the type of injuries, how the injuries occurred, the type of accident, the actions of the client and the other party, what treatment is necessary to recover from the accident, and if there are any lingering or permanent problems caused by the accident.  Because the value of your case can depend on so many factors, it is important that you contact Broadbent Law today to let us start working on your case.

At Broadbent Law, our investigations are thorough and focus on all parties who are at fault for the accident.  After determining who is at fault, we also focus on the “damages” caused by the accident.  These damages will determine the value of your case.  In order to protect your rights, we look at all available “damages” allowed by law.  These damages can include all of your injuries, how that injury has impacted your life, how permanent the injuries are, the pain and suffering associated with the injury, necessary medical expenses caused by the accident, lost wages caused by the accident, time off of work for treatment or to recover from your injuries, an accident’s impact on family relationships, and your loss of enjoyment of life.

As you can see, evaluating both the fault of the accident, and the damages you may be entitled to, is a complicated process.  That’s why it is important to contact Broadbent Law today so we can begin working on your case immediately.

When you’ve been in an accident, figuring out what to do next may be difficult.  Because of the shock and stress, it is easy to become distracted.  However, to protect yourself, you should take a few common steps:

Call the Police

If you’ve been in an accident, it is important to contact the police. The police may assist you in determining if you’ve been injured, need immediate medical care, or who is responsible for the collision.  The police will also assist you by collecting evidence and insurance information at the scene.

Take Photos

If you are able to, and are not in danger of further injury, taking photos at the accident scene can be beneficial.  As time goes by, memories fade, stories change, and evidence of the accident can become contested.  One of the best ways to preserve evidence, and to record what happened, is to take photos at the scene of the accident.  Those photos can be taken on any camera, including your phone’s camera.

Go to the Doctor

If you’ve been injured, it’s possible that you will be transported to the hospital from the scene of the accident by ambulance.  Even if your are not taken to a hospital from the accident, it is still important to visit your primary doctor to get checked out.  For a few days after the accident, you may not realize the full extent of your injuries.  In order to make sure you fully recover, it is important to be evaluated by your primary physician and to follow all instruction from your doctor.  Proper medical care can alleviate injury.

Avoid Giving Statements to Insurance Adjusters

After an accident, many insurance adjusters will attempt to get a statement from you.  This could be a problems because you may not realize the full extent of your injuries in the first few days, and you may not fully understand your situation because of shock or pain medication.  If you have been injured because of the negligence of someone else, you should talk to a personal injury attorney before speaking with an insurance adjuster.

Contact Broadbent Law

Because of the complexities involved in an accident claim, if you’ve been injured in an accident due to the carelessness of someone else, contact Broadbent Law so we can ensure that you are protected and receive the medical care you need.

After being in an accident, its important to hire a personal injury attorney to protect your rights.  In order to help your attorney, its important to provide them with as much evidence and documentation as possible.  Here is a list of some of the documents you should bring to Broadbent Law to help start your claim:

Your Insurance Policy

If you have car insurance, your personal injury attorney at Broadbent Law will want to see a copy of your insurance policy, or your “declarations page” from that policy, to see what coverage is available.  If you do not have a copy of your policy, we will be able to obtain a copy from your insurance company (with your permission).

Accident Report Or Information Provided By Police

When the police are called to the scene of an accident, they collect information from the parties, collect evidence, and generate an accident report.  When meeting with your personal injury attorney at Broadbent Law, it is important to provide us with all information provided by the police, including any documents, citations, tickets, records, or reports.  If you do not have a copy of the police report, we can obtain one from the police agency that investigated the accident.

Information Exchanged At The Accident Scene

After an accident, parties exchange information, including names, addresses, insurance information, telephone numbers, and other information.  Because some information changes, or is different than what appears on some police reports, it is important to give your personal injury attorney at Broadbent Law all information that was exchanged by the parties at the accident scene.

Photos Taken At The Accident Scene Or Of Your Car

If you have taken any pictures at the accident scene, or of your car after the accident, it is important to give those pictures to your personal injury attorney at Broadbent Law.  In addition, let us know if you aware of anyone else that took pictures of the accident, including the police, insurance adjusters, witnesses, or the other party.

Statements

After an accident, some insurance companies will contact you to get a statement about the accident.  While you are not require to give a statement, if you have given one, you have the right to a copy of that statement.  If you have a copy of the statement, give to your personal injury attorney at Broadbent Law.  If you don’t have a copy of it, let us know that you spoke with an insurance adjuster and we will obtain a copy of it for you.

Medical Records

If you have been injured because of an accident, it is important that you seek medical care for your injuries.  You should follow all instructions from your doctor.  When you visit with your attorney at Broadbent Law, please bring any medical records and other documents from your doctor that you have.  If you do not have any medical records, we will obtain records on your behalf (again, with your permission), from the doctors who have treated you.

Work/Pay Records

If you had to miss work because of your accident, you may be entitled to recover for your lost wages.  In order to recover those wages, we will need a copy of your work or pay records to show those lost wages and to determine the amount of compensation your are entitled to.

If you’ve been injured or lost a loved one as a result of someone else’s carelessness, we want to help. We offer a free consultation and are only paid if we win your claim and collect money for you.

We are different because our fees for accident cases that are concluded before a lawsuit is filed are only 29% of the amount we recover. Most law firms still charge one-third of the settlement, even when a case is concluded prior to filing suit.  In addition, we advance all of the expenses required to process your case.  This allows you to focus on recovering without worrying about the costs to prosecute your case.

At Broadbent Law, we want to help you in the unfortunate event you are injured.  So email or call us today for a free, no obligation, confidential consultation.