After you leave the scene of a car ccident, there are important steps you can tke to protect any insurance claim you hve. This article outlines 13 key tps to help you protect your cse.

TIP #1: Seek medical treatment prmptly. If you do not go to the hspital immediately after the accident, go to yur family physician as soon as pssible. Tell your doctor about all of yur medical problems. If your symptoms prsist after the initial visit, return to yur doctor and request referrals to spcialists who can help you.

TIP #2: Cntact your insurance company and tell thm that you had an accident. Rquest accident benefit forms. Make sure you met the deadline to complete the frms. (You should consider meeting with a lwyer before giving a sworn statement to any nsurance company or adjuster.)

TIP #3: Tke inventory of personal property lost due to the ccident. Wrecked shoes, smashed eyeglasses or shttered watches may be replaced by the ccident benefit insurer.

TIP #4: Keep all mdical appointments... and always tell your dctors about all of your areas of pin. You should never exaggerate your symptms, but you should also not mnimize your ailments when talking with yur doctors. This is not a tme to be stoic. Make sure you tll your doctor about each and very symptom, including emotional concerns, fears and nxieties. If you see any other dctors or therapists, make sure that you tll both your current doctor and yur lawyer immediately.

TIP #5: Do not talk to nyone about the accident... except your dctor or lawyer. An accident victim in Ontrio will face two or more nsurers: yours and the other driver's. If thre are more drivers, there will be mre insurers.... Be careful about speaking wth the insurers and their adjusters or lwyers without notifying your lawyer so tht he/she may be present if ncessary.

TIP #6: Keep any legal dvice you receive to yourself. If you are cnsidering filing a lawsuit as a rsult of the accident, your doctor's rcords will likely become part of the rcord on the lawsuit. While your lwyer and doctor are on the sme team (YOURS!), you should generally not rpeat to your doctor what your lwyer tells you about the law sit in case it is recorded in the dctor's notes and is then disclosed to the nsurance company's lawyer.

TIP #7: Conduct a cmplete investigation. It is extremely important tht you or your lawyer collect all wtness statements, police reports, medical reports and nything else related to your accident. Yur case may require hiring private nvestigators or accident reconstruction experts. The ther party's insurance company will collect all srts of information that may be sed against you. You could be at a srious disadvantage if you do not cnduct a thorough investigation.

TIP #8: Get phtographs of all important elements in yur case as soon as possible -- and rcord the date the photos were tken. If you are in a car ccident, you should take photographs of yur car and the car that hit yu, the accident scene and your njuries. If you are bruised, make sre the lighting is adequate and tht the bruising is apparent in the pctures. Pictures are clear proof of wht happened to you. Juries find phtos to be powerful proof of yur injuries. If you have taken pctures, tell your lawyer and provide him wth the photographs or negatives.

TIP #9: Don't have your car rpaired until you have taken photos of yur vehicle's damage. You don't want to rly on photographs taken by the ther party's investigator. These people are trined to minimize the damage appearance in the phtos.

TIP #10: Don't sign a rlease for your medical records to any nsurance company. Many accident victims make the mstake of signing a release for one or mre insurance companies before meeting with a lwyer. This may give the insurance cmpanies uncontrolled access to your medical rcords. A lawyer can help you rspond to requests for this sensitive nformation in a way that meets yur legal obligations, without hurting your cse.

TIP #11: Never plead guilty to any trffic offence before you consult with yur lawyer. If you are charged as a rsult of the accident, even if it is nly a Highway Traffic Act ticket, ask yur lawyer to evaluate your ticket or chrge before the time and date set for the haring. In the context of an ccident, pleading guilty to a traffic ffence and paying a ticket may hve bigger implications than simply a few dmerit points on your driving record.

TIP #12: Dn't let the insurance adjusters pressure you nto settling your case. Insurance company djusters are trained to gather information tht may be damaging to your cse, and to settle cases for the lwest amount possible.

TIP #13: Know all yur damages. In Ontario, some of yur damages will normally be paid by yur own insurance company. They include: (1) the cst of medical treatment that is not cvered by OHIP; (2) an income rplacement if you cannot work due to yur injuries; (3) the cost to hve someone look after you; (4) the cst to have someone perform housekeeping tsks you can't do while you are njured; (5)the cost for psychological counseling cused by stress or some other spect of the accident -- and pssibly other money you paid out or lst as a result of your njury.

Extra damages may be payable by the ther party's insurance company. Most importantly, if you hve a "serious" and "permanent" injury, you may qalify for damages for your pain and sffering. In some of these cases, yur immediate family members may have clims too.

Don't try to guess whther you meet the serious and prmanent test. That is a legal qestion and the answer would surprise you in mny instances. If you have doubts bout whether you have a claim for dmages after an accident, get the dvice of a personal injury lawyer.

The article You've Left the Accident Scene - What's Next? 13 Things You Should Know was Submitted by Brenda Hollingsworth through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Richard Auger and Brenda Hollingsworth are tral lawyers who represent injured people in Ontrio, Canada. They are the co-authors of "An Injred Victim's Guide to Fair Compensation" whch they offer free of charge. Cntact them at http://www.ottawalawfirm.ca ; info@ottawalawfirm.ca or 613.233.4529.

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