Lafayette drivers face the unexpected anytime they are out on the road, even when the traffic is not as heavy. Despite making every effort to drive defensively, crashes still happen. If you find yourself in this situation, the decisions you make in the weeks to months after the crash can significantly impact the amount of compensation you recover.
Were you injured in a car crash caused by another driver’s negligence? At Galloway Jefcoat, we are here to answer your questions and provide legal guidance. We offer a completely free initial consultation to discuss what happened and determine what legal options may be available to you.
Our knowledgeable Lafayette car accident lawyers are prepared to fight for the full and fair compensation you deserve, working to fully maximize your damages.
Seek Medical Care Right After a Car Crash: It Is Critical to Your Claim
After a Lafayette car accident, seeking immediate medical attention protects your health, as well as your claim. Even if you do not see any visible injuries and think you generally feel okay, it is important to remember that some injuries may take hours to days to become apparent. For serious internal injuries, even an hour could impact your ability to recover without immediate treatment.
In addition to protecting your health, your visit gets recorded in your medical records. In fact, these records contain documentation about every visit, including when you go to the emergency room to have your injuries assessed after a car crash. The documentation in your medical records also help your claim, because it establishes a direct connection between your injuries and the car crash that caused them. When there is a significant time gap, the insurance company has room to dispute how your injuries happened. They may try to say you could have been hurt somewhere else.
Ongoing Medical Care Also Matters
After your initial diagnosis, be sure to continue following-up with your treating physician, as this adds to the paper trail and strengthens your case. Be careful to adhere to your medical plan of care precisely.
Keep in mind that skipping appointments or ignoring recommendations have the opposite effect. They work against you and can significantly damage the outcome of your claim.
"I have used Galloway Jefcoat a few times and have always been very satisfied. Furthermore, all of the people who work there are very professional, nice, and courteous."
Gather Evidence That Supports Your Lafayette Car Crash Claim
The moments following a car accident can yield key evidence corroborating your version of the sequence of events leading up to the crash. Crash scene investigators and first responders will be working to gather key evidence from the crash scene. If you can do so safely, you may be able to capture evidence that corroborates and supports their findings and your statement.
- Capture Detailed Photos: Try and capture as much of the crash scene as you can from the safety of your vehicle, including how the vehicles came to rest. Investigators and first responders will likely capture images of the vehicles from multiple angles to show all vehicle damage. However, you can try to capture images of the road conditions, available light at the time of the crash, skid marks and crash debris in the road and weather conditions.
- Collect Witness Information: The unbiased account of a credible witness can counter the other driver’s version of events.
- Exchange Complete Information: Before you leave the accident scene, collect information from the other drivers, including license numbers, insurance details, and vehicle registration.
- Note Time, Location, and Circumstances: Small details, such as any construction activity, an object in the road, or nearby business cameras, can strengthen your claim. A nearby traffic camera may have captured your car crash as it occurred.
Avoid Early Settlement Offers From the Insurance Company
Insurance adjusters often contact Lafayette accident victims shortly after a crash to ask them questions about what happened. Many insurers follow soon after with a quick, but low settlement offer. We do not recommend accepting the first offer. These initial offers are often far below the full value of a claim.
These are some questions you can ask to determine if a first offer will cover all of your damages:
- Are you still receiving medical care? If so, you will have more bills to pay.
- Missing work while recovering? Then you do not yet know the full amount of wages lost.
- Do you know the full amount of your vehicle/property damage? Again, you need to know the full impact of those costs.
- Are you taking prescription medication for pain management or to prevent infection? These costs could be repeating for a while until you have been discharged by your doctor.
- Are you experiencing ongoing pain or reduced mobility? It is important to calculate the full cost of how all of your damages, even your pain and suffering, are impacting your ability to work, to care for yourself and your family, and your overall quality of life.
- Do you need emotional counseling to help you manage the trauma of being involved in a crash?
These are just a few of the factors we consider when assessing the full value of any car crash claim. Leaving any of these elements out of your claim is equivalent to leaving money on the table.
When an insurance adjuster calls you early on with a quick offer, they are betting that you have not yet called an attorney and that you are already feeling the financial pressure. In that moment, even a small offer can seem big. Unfortunately, it can leave you having to pay thousands of dollars more out of your own pocket. The insurance company’s goal is to close your claim, reducing what they have to pay, before you understand your claim’s worth. But you have the right to have an attorney review any settlement they offer.
Unfortunately, once you sign a settlement agreement, you permanently forfeit the right to seek additional compensation against the at-fault party.
"As a client of Galloway Jefcoat for over two years I want to take a minute to say how much I appreciate the team handling my case."
Document Your Car Crash Injuries
From day one, it is vital that you document the progress of your injuries and track every dollar spent on your recovery. Accurately recording and filing these documents provides compelling evidence that can help to strengthen your claim.
Use a Pain Journal to Document the Progress of Your injuries
A pain journal can be a dedicated physical notebook or a computer folder online. Whichever you choose, the point is to consistently and accurately document the progress of your injuries. Be sure to include these key details:
- Start this journal with documentation about the specific injuries you sustained in the crash as diagnosed by your doctor
- In your daily entries, date and document the following:
- Daily pain levels (1-10, with 10 being the worst)
- Treatment you had (if any occurred that day) and how you responded to that treatment
- Medication you are taking and whether that helped
- Document how your injuries impacted your overall quality of life and your ability to take care of yourself, your family or work.
This journal is most beneficial when you write clearly, concisely, accurately and consistently.
"Great experience, from day 1 I felt like I finally had someone on my side and that feeling didn't leave me for 1 single moment."
Track All Costs Related to Your Car Crash
Start a separate physical or online computer folder to track medical bills related to the crash and your injuries, including the following costs:
- Emergency services
- Diagnostic testing performed from day one
- Surgeries or other procedures related to the crash
- Hospital stays
- Initial doctor visits and ongoing follow-up care
- Medication prescriptions
- Medical equipment, such as crutches or wheelchair
- Physical therapy or rehabilitation therapy
- Emotional counseling to help deal with the trauma of the crash
- Home care you need to help you with daily tasks
Request itemized statements rather than summary bills to demonstrate the full extent of your treatment. Do not forget to include transportation costs, such as mileage, parking fees, and ride-sharing expenses. These seemingly small costs often add up to thousands throughout your recovery.
Calculate Lost Work Hours
Calculate lost income precisely if you missed work while recovering from your injuries. Collect pay stubs from before and after the accident, attendance records, and statements from your employer documenting missed shifts or reduced hours. Self-employed individuals should gather their tax returns and client contracts to report any changes in income.
Receipts of Household Services
Household services can aid in your recovery from injuries. Include receipts for these items and services:
- Home modifications
- Assistive devices
- Specialized services needed during recovery
- Wheelchair ramps
- Grab bars
- In-home nursing home care
Limit Social Media Activity
Your social media posts can instantly devalue your Lafayette accident claim. Even when you have privacy settings turned on, insurance investigators know how to routinely monitor your accounts for evidence they can use against you.
Photos of You Posted on Social Media
Photos showing physical activities can contradict the injuries you are claiming, even when taken before your accident. A hiking picture posted after a crash could lead the insurance company to believe your injuries are not severe.
Comments Taken Out of Context and Used Against You
Status updates mentioning feeling “good” or “better” get twisted into evidence that your injuries are minor. Even innocent comments about your weekend plans could be used to challenge your pain and suffering claims.
Social Media Check-Ins at Events or Activities
Facebook location check-ins at restaurants, events, or gyms suggest your physical capabilities are better than you reported and your injuries less severe. These digital footprints create a narrative that you are exaggerating your limitations, casting doubt on your credibility.
Steps to take to limit your digital footprint during the claim process:
- Set all social media accounts to private immediately following your accident
- Consider temporarily deactivating Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms
- Decline new friend or connection requests from people you do not know
- Disable location services on your phone to prevent automatic check-ins
- Ask family and friends not to tag you or post about your accident or recovery
- Avoid posting any photos or videos of yourself until your claim is settled
- Never discuss your accident, injuries, or legal case on any platform
- Refrain from commenting on news articles about local accidents
- Remove “feeling great” or similar status updates that could contradict your injury claims
- Consider creating screenshots of your profile as they existed before making changes
- Review tagged photos and remove any that show physical activities
- Do not accept connection requests from insurance company employees
- Remember that even “deleted” content may be recoverable through legal channels
Hire an Experienced Lafayette Car Accident Attorney
After seeking medical attention, we strongly recommend seek counsel as soon as possible.
At Galloway Jefcoat, our trusted law firm has extensive experience managing car accident claims for crash victims in Lafayette. When we represent you, we explain your legal options and negotiate with the insurance company. Once you have representation, insurance companies must direct all communication through your lawyer, so you will not have to deal with their pressure tactics and manipulative calls.
Our law firm also has access to critical resources you may need to strengthen your case, including:
- Accident reconstructionist
- Medical experts
- Economic analysts (quantify your future losses)
These expert witnesses transform subjective claims into compelling evidence.
Attorney involvement signals to insurers that you are prepared for litigation. This perception alone often leads to higher settlement offers, as companies avoid the expense and uncertainty of Lafayette courtrooms when facing prepared counsel.
Need Help with Maximizing Your Claims After a Car Accident? Call Galloway Jefcoat Today
Your actions after a car accident can significantly impact the outcome of your financial recovery. While this can seem overwhelming, especially when healing from your injuries, you do not have to try to navigate the legal process on your own.
At Galloway Jefcoat, we have extensive experience helping the injured throughout Lafayette, and we have a proven history of securing favorable outcomes for our clients. We are prepared to guide you throughout the legal process, protecting your rights and your best interests.
Worried about legal costs? We accept injury cases on contingency, so there are no upfront costs or fees to engage our services.
"Galloway Jefcoat helped me at a time when I felt lost and taken advantage of by my employer."
