A car accident lawyer sometimes wishes she had a time machine. Why? So she (or he) can go back in time and help her clients before the car crash occurs. Here are three things that can help a client prepare for a car accident.
1. Buy a safe car.
All cars are not created equal. Sometimes money spent for a more expensive car buys good looks, prestige and comfort but does nothing for safety. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provides crash safety ratings at its website. Even the most vigilant defensive driver cannot prevent all car wrecks. Buying the safest car you can afford can mean the difference between life and death (or seriously disabling injury).
2. Buy an adequate amount of UIM insurance.
When injured persons first meet with their Coeur d’Alene, ID car accident lawyer they are often puzzled when the lawyer asks how much insurance they have. After all, shouldn’t all the focus be on the insurance policy of the at-fault driver? Not necessarily. If the at-fault driver does not have enough insurance to pay for all of the medical bills, wage loss and pain and suffering the client has sustained, then the client’s Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage kicks in. For example, assume that client John Smith incurs $10,000 in medical bills and $42,000 in wage loss due to a crash caused by the negligence of driver Robert Brown. If Brown only has $25,000 of liability insurance, then client Smith can obtain the additional money to compensate for his injuries from his own $300,000 Underinsured motorist policy if he was wise enough to purchase that coverage when he obtained insurance.
3. Consider downloading WreckCheck or similar App on your smartphone.
Car accident lawyers know the importance of recording all relevant information following a crash. In the past, wise motorists would carry a notebook and pen with them to record important information such as the name of the at-fault driver, license number, insurance company, etc. Fortunately, owners of smartphones can now download Apps such as WreckCheck that allows easy input of this information. Photos of the crash scene and car damage should also be taken prior to the arrival of the police, or as soon as possible.
We can hope that none of these things will ever be needed and that you will never be in a car accident. But being properly prepared can lessen the impact of a car crash on your life.
Thanks to our friend and blog author, James Bendell of Bendell Law Firm for his insight into car accident preparation.