When you have been seriously hurt in an accident, hiring a lawyer might not be the first thing on your mind, but I’m here to tell you that it’s never too early to make that first phone call. I’ve literally talked to victims and their family members from the hospital room. There are several reasons the call should be made as soon as possible, but the most important may be the peace of mind we can give you. In fact, even if The Segal Law Firm doesn’t end up bringing your case, we can still give you free advice and take some action to make sure you are protected.
You would be amazed at how frequently evidence can disappear when lawyers are not involved. This is one of the main reasons to get on that phone with an attorney immediately following an accident. For example, I will write letters, free of charge, telling the tow truck company not to destroy the vehicle involved in the wreck because we may need to photograph it or have it examined by an expert. The same goes for tractor trailer accidents. We may not know for several weeks if we are going to represent the widow of the man killed in the wreck, but we do know that we can write a letter to the tractor trailer company telling them not to destroy the black box, the driver’s log books or any other information concerning the tractor trailer.
In coal mining cases, we have to immediately alert the coal company that we do not want anything changed or the equipment moved until we have had an opportunity to inspect. Now, sometimes state and federal investigators will close a mine and say no one is allowed in, but after they open it back up, the widow or injured coal miner has a right to participate in the inspection. We have the ability to ensure that right just by dropping them a letter and letting them know. I could go on and on about the ways that evidence is lost or destroyed. It’s important that you call us right away so we can make sure it doesn’t happen to you.
That first phone call can also serve as a reassurance to you and your family. First of all, this is probably one of the worst and scariest times of your life. You need to talk to someone who has experience, compassion and understands how you are suffering. I think a lot of people are shocked after they call our office to speak with me and I actually call them back personally. I do that because I understand that if you’ve lost a loved one, a body part or have been paralyzed, you need to talk directly to me. I’ve been doing this for over thirty years and have seen the toll this kind of thing takes on a family unit. I want to makes sure you know what you’re up against, how you can protect your family, and what the legal road ahead is going to look like. That way, you can let us worry about the legalities of your case and you can get back to healing yourself and your family.
So why doesn’t everyone call right away? Well, I’ve heard a lot of people say they don’t want to call a lawyer too soon because it might look bad. Let me be clear: we don’t have to file suit tomorrow. In fact, we probably have two years before we have to file a lawsuit. But we have to make sure the evidence isn’t destroyed and that your case gets off on the most optimal footing. If you call us sooner rather than later, we can eliminate some of the fear, some of the ‘what if’ and start taking you through the process. Call me today at The Segal Law Firm, and let’s get you some answers. You can call me toll free at 855-344-9100.