Sarasota Accident Lawyer

Bradenton Injury Attorney

The Hudson Law Office

Sarasota and Bradenton, Florida

The Insurance Company Has A Lawyer.

Shouldn't You?

If you've been in a motor vehicle crash, there are a few very important things to remember, no matter who you retain as your lawyer.    Write them down or print this page!

To-Do Number 1.  REMEMBER WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE.  The insurance companies are not working FOR you.  They are working AGAINST you.  This means that anything you say to anyone may wind up costing you.   Don't make any kind of a statement (especially a recorded statement) until after you have consulted a lawyer.

To-Do Number 2. TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR BODY.   The bruises from the steering wheel and the shoulder harness will be gone in a few weeks.  So will the burns from the airbag.   You will forget how bad they were, and the insurance company will try to minimize them in front of the jury.  The ONLY way to have an accurate record is to get pictures now.  Lots of pictures.   From every angle.  In sunlight and artificial light.  Then get the film to your lawyer right away.

To-Do Number 3.  TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR CAR.   If it is a total loss, then it will be gone soon.  If it's not totalled, it will be repaired.   You should take a full roll of film, making sure that you have pictures from every angle, documenting how much damage was done by the impact.  (After all, if the impact can bend steel, imagine what it can do to flesh and bone.)

To-Do Number 4.  GET NAMES, ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS of everyone who saw the accident or was present in your car.   Get them to write out a short narrative, including what everyone said after the accident.   You will be amazed how quickly memories fade.  

To-Do Number 5.  WRITE OUT YOUR OWN NARRATIVE about the accident, but give it to NO ONE but your lawyer.   Be sure to include all of your injuries.   You will probably become progressively more sore for a period of three to five days after the crash.  This is the normal way that your body will react to the traumatic insult of a motor vehicle crash. 

To-Do Number 6.   CONTACT AN EXPERIENCED INJURY LAWYER RIGHT AWAY.   Over the years, it has not been unusual for insurance companies to offer settlement checks within a day after the accident.  This is long before you will even know how badly you are hurt.  It often takes up to two months before certain very serious injuries can even be diagnosed.   If you have taken the insurance company's check for $2,000 on the second day after the accident, you can NEVER GO BACK to get more compensation, even if you find out that your injuries are permanent and disabling.

Dear prospective client,

The first few days after your accident may determine the outcome of your claim.  Speak to a lawyer as soon as you can.  At the Hudson Law Office, we have been helping individuals to get justice for a quarter of a century.   Let us help you.   Contact us by confidential email or at (941) 358-5400.   You will never pay a penny out of your pocket for aggressive and tough representation against the insurance company's professionals.  You are invited to call for a free consultation.   We hope to hear from you.

Tom Hudson