If you, or a loved one, were injured in an accident, the attorneys at Hyatt & Goldbloom can help you recover from your pain and suffering. Whenever another person or company is responsible for your injuries, you are entitled to medical treatment and to be financially compensated for the damage to your automobile(if applicable) and for the pain and suffering that you were forced to endure. Unfortunately, dealing with insurance companies and their lawyers, without any support, can be difficult and, quite frankly, miserable. That’s where we come in. At Hyatt & Goldbloom, we view ourselves as your teammates. As a team, we can lead you through the process of recovering from an accident so you are never alone. When you partner with us, you can rest assured that an experienced team of attorneys has your back, so you can focus on feeling better, without any added stress associated with your recovery.

The first thing to do at the crash site is to determine the extent of driver’s and passenger’s injuries.  Next, call the police. If the accident is a fender bender, emergency medical care may not be necessary. Resist the temptation to settle up with the other driver on the spot.  You may have suffered injuries which do not develop symptoms until days or even weeks after the accident.

Next, if you are involved in an accident involving any injury at all, no matter how minor, call 911 and ask to receive assistance and the presence of an officer as soon as possible.  Doing so will provide proof of the accident and will allow for an immediate investigation of the circumstances of the accident.  Sometimes, if no injuries are reported and a vehicle does not necessitate a tow, you may be advised that an officer will not be responding to the scene.  When an officer does respond, that officer will advise whether it is required for you to move your vehicle from the location.  Please resist moving your vehicle before taking photos of its position and that of the other vehicle. 

After everyone is out of danger and any medical and police help have been summoned, obtain the following (which can be easily and accurately collected using a cellular telephone to take photographs):

• Drivers’ name of all vehicles involved
• Drivers’ license numbers, addresses, and phone numbers
• Drivers’ insurance company and policy number
• License plate number, year, make, model, and color of all vehicles involved
• Registered owners’ names and addresses of all vehicles involved
• Full name, address, and phone number of occupants in any of the vehicles
• Full name, address and phone numbers of any pedestrians or other parties involved
• Full name, address and phone number of any witnesses to the accident
• Police officer’s name, department, phone number, and badge number
• Actual location and any intersecting road

*** If you are only able to obtain one piece of identifying information, TAKE A PHOTO OF THE OTHER VEHICLE’S LICENSE PLATE. 

If possible it is important to take pictures of the scene of the accident, the vehicle(s) involved, and damages caused by the accident.  Try to take these photos before any vehicles are removed. Additionally, if you have a visible injury, you should take a picture of those injuries as soon as possible and periodically, as those injuries begin to heal.  If safe to do so, take photographs from multiple angles and locations, so as to reconstruct an accurate diagram of the collision site. To learn more about what to do after an accident, download the Hyatt & Goldbloom app today.

Yes!  No matter whether you have hit a pedestrian, a moving car, parked car or someone’s property, always stop if you have struck something with your car.  If you do not, no matter how minor the damage seems to you, you may be guilty of leaving the scene of an accident – even if the accident was not your fault.  You also may forfeit your ability to give your version of events to the investigating officer.

PIP stands for Personal Injury Protection; something that can pay for bills arising out of injuries sustained in a car accident.  PIP is considered no-fault, so if you have PIP, you can access this money no matter who caused the accident. Medical bills are eligible to be paid from your PIP policy and 85% of any lost wages due to an accident can be paid by your PIP coverage. Most often, PIP policies provide $2500 in coverage, per person.  This $2,500.00 will cover medical bills and/or any lost wages.