Helpful Advice from an Arkansas Personal Injury Lawyer

The Arkansas Injury Law Center receives many phone calls each day, most of which are from residents injured in car accidents in big cities such as Little Rock, Bentonville, Fort Smith, Fayetteville, and Springdale. Sometimes callers have just been involved in the auto crash, others have been fighting with an insurance adjuster for several months and are just fed up. Either way, we are often asked for advice on how to handle a car accident insurance claim for bodily injury. Commonly referred to as a "PI Claim", insurance adjusters will do everything under the sun, including using unethical negotiation tactics, to force you into accepting a low ball settlement.

There a few things you can do from the start to protect yourself and your legal interests. This by no means is a substitute for clear and concise advice from one of a Arkansas car accident lawyer. First, always call police at the scene and request that a comprehensive accident report be completed by the reporting officers. Second, seek medical attention immediately at the nearest emergency room. If your injuries are life-threatening, you will likely be ambulated to a Level-1 trauma center in closest proximity to the crash scene. On ocassion, first responders will dispatch a life-flight helicopter for quickest transport to a local hospital. Third, contact an accident injury lawyer to obtain free advice on how to best manage your claim. Speaking with an insurance claims adjuster first is never a good idea. These claims adjusters will demand recorded statements and other requests that are overbroad.

Seeking follow up medical treatment for your injuries may also be required. From fractures to soft-tissue injuries, it is usually medically sound for you to seek advice on the extent of the injury and whether or not there are any future medical concerns that may at issue. Examples of future medical concerns may include artritus or even future surgery. People with whiplash and other spine injuries from an auto accident will commonly complain of pain and loss of range of motion for years to come. That condition can give rise to a disc fusion, disc replacement, or other major surgery.

Personal injury claims from a car accident can involve complex areas of law and medicine. It is always risky to face an insurance claims adjuster and large insurance company without legal representation, for more reasons that could possibly be addressed in this article. The important thing to understand is that initial consultations with a personal injury lawyer are usually free of charge. It certainly doesn't hurt to discuss your case, get informed, and make an educated decision on whether your case requires the legal representation of an injury lawyer in Arkansas.