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Seattle Catastrophic Personal Injury Attorneys

Handling Major Injuries

What to do…if you’re hospitalized with major injuries

If you are hospitalized with major injuries as a result of an accident, there are a number of things that you or a loved one should do to protect your rights. Whatever your situation, it is a good idea to consult with a personal injury attorney who can guide you through the claims process and help you make the right choices for your specific case. The highly qualified personal injury attorneys at Hardwick & Pendergast law firm will provide you with a FREE consultation, at no obligation to you. Simply contact us about your injury or call toll free at 1-888-228-3860.

Upon hospitalization

• Consult with a Seattle personal injury lawyer who can help you coordinate benefits, contact insurance companies and gather necessary paperwork.
• Be careful what you say to insurance companies. Do not answer any questions from insurance companies without the approval of your attorney.
• Don’t sign a release without consulting your attorney.

During the claims process

When you choose a Seattle personal injury attorney, you will need to gather information that will support your claim during the next few months, including:

• Medical Expenses: Document all office visits, prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, laboratory services, physical therapy, hospital visits, treatments, medical documents and x-rays, including the dates, providers, amounts charged and reasons for your visits.
• Lost Work Time. Keep track of all time taken off from work as a result of the accident, including time off for medical treatments and/or the inability to function properly at work because of your injuries. You may also want to get a letter from your employer verifying pay and lost time.
• Lost School Time: If you are in school or taking work-related courses, document all lost school time and/or your inability to continue school work as you did before the accident.
• Photographs: Continue to take photographs of your injuries at different times after the accident. write the date on the back of each photo to verify when it was taken.
• Emotional Distress and Personal Inconvenience: Keep in mind what you are going through during the process and how the injuries have interfered with your daily life.
• Car Repair Estimates and Bills: Keep copies of all repair bills and/or estimates, as well as rental car and taxi receipts.
• Out-of-Pocket Expenses: Keep receipts for everything that you’ve paid for out-of-pocket relating to or as a result of injuries suffered in the accident.