Were you recently injured in a vehicular accident? Is Farmers Insurance your carrier? Then, the best course of action is to notify them within a 24-hour period. There are right ways and wrong ways to convey the information to them. As an auto accident injury lawyer in California, Belal Hamideh and the team here have assisted many in receiving the maximum compensation for the injuries that they suffered in an accident. Now, we very well may be able to do the same for you.
We understand that, in the wake of an accident, the last thing you may want to do is spend more time reaching out to lawyers, dealing with insurance companies, etc. However, we can also make the entire process that much easier, handling insurance companies on your behalf and helping you to acquire maximum compensation. If there is even a minimal chance that you were injured in a vehicular accident that could have been caused by the recklessness and/or negligence of another party, we encourage you to reach out to us for a free case evaluation.
What to Do in the Moments Following an Accident
Right after an accident, the first step is to assess your injuries and remain calm. That may be difficult or even impossible, but if you can slow your breathing, you may be able to calm your body down somewhat. To the extent that is necessary and you are able, remove yourself from harm’s way.
Call law enforcement. They can arrive and assist with the situation. They will create a police report, at the bare minimum, which can be used to ultimately strengthen your case.
Make sure to get medical attention. Even if you seem unharmed, even if it appears that you didn’t suffer any injuries, you want to be examined by an experienced medical professional. That way, they can discover if there’s any internal injuries that you’re unaware of, and so forth.
Collect information from other drivers. Their name, their contact information, their insurance, their insurance number, license plate, and so forth. When speaking to them, be polite and cordial yet direct. Do not say anything that could be taken, in any way, to mean that you’re accepting fault for the accident. If you’re able, document the scene as well: take pictures of any damage with your phone, etc.
Once you’ve done all of the above, contact Belal. He and the rest of the team here can represent you as aggressively as possible through every step of the case.
If You Have Farmers and Are in an Accident
After an accident, if Farmers Insurance is your carrier, then you should contact them within 24 hours of the accident. You can do so through their site, through their app, or by calling (800) 515-7406.
When you’re speaking to someone from Farmers Insurance, even if they’re your insurance provider, you want to maintain that same polite, cordial, and direct tone that you did with the other person involved in the accident.
Only tell them the truth about what happened, the facts of the case. “Just the facts” is a good rule to follow. Do not speculate, don’t “guess,” don’t “estimate,” or anything of that nature. Merely tell them exactly what occurred and then end the call.
If they prod you for a recorded statement, you may consider giving one. However, Belal strongly recommends that no one injured in an accident ever do that, as it could potentially weaken your eventual case. In fact, it’s preferable for Belal to simply put all of the necessary injury and accident information in the settlement demand once you’ve gone through medical treatment.
If The Other Driver Has Farmers and You’re Hurt in an Accident
First, in the event that you’re injured in a vehicular accident and you believe there’s even a slight chance that the other driver may be at fault, we encourage you to contact us as soon as you can. That way, we can get started on your case as close as possible to the time when the other side has begun theirs.
See, after the accident, when you contact your insurance company, the other driver is going to contact theirs (which is Farmers in this example). At that moment, Farmers Insurance will launch their own investigation into your accident. This will not be an “objective” investigation, exactly, as Farmers Insurance has every incentive to prove that the accident was not their driver’s fault but yours, or at least the fault of some other party that isn’t their driver.
That’s because if the accident is the other driver’s fault, then Farmers Insurance is going to have to pay you. Farmers Insurance, of course, doesn’t want to do that. Thus, they’re incentivized to put their attorneys on the case, to “drag their feet” when it comes to you, to try to get you to accept the lowest offer, and so forth.
Belal, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. Belal has every incentive to help you to recover maximum compensation, as you don’t pay a dime unless Belal wins.
If the Other Driver Isn’t Insured or is Underinsured
While it’s against the law to drive in California without insurance, some still do it. Or, alternatively, they’re “underinsured,” which means that the damage from the accident may very well exceed their insurance limits. When you’re injured in an accident due to the recklessness and/or negligence of drivers like this, it can be challenging, but it can also have a positive resolution.
First off, many drivers have uninsured and/or underinsured motorist coverage. To claim these damages, you contact Farmers Insurance (so long as they’re your carrier), explain the situation, fill out a form, and so forth.
Unfortunately, you may find that, in this case, Farmers Insurance may deny your claim, they may try to keep from giving you compensation for those damages, and so forth. We may be able to help you here, too, taking your case and representing you as aggressively as possible.
Contact Belal Hamideh, Auto Accident Lawyer in California Today
Dealing with Farmers Insurance or any of the major insurance carriers can be challenging. They have all of the resources in the world, decades of experience, and so much more that can be used to keep you from getting the compensation that you deserve.
That’s where we come in. Belal and the team here have a proven track record of taking on big insurance companies and winning for our clients. To see how we may be able to help you, reach out to us for a free case evaluation by calling us or messaging us through our site.