It snowed again. \u00a0A particularly nasty wet snow making for icy roads. \u00a0And we had lots and lots of \u00a0accidents yesterday: 164 by 9:30 \u00a0PM according to Anchorage Daily News.<\/p>\n
More big news: \u00a0Anchorage Police Department has a new policy. \u00a0It won't file a police report unless the officer thinks that the accident caused an injury. \u00a0So you can't rely on the police officer to take the witness' names and phone numbers, much less the name of the other drivers involved. \u00a0You need to do that yourself.<\/p>\n
Not only that, APD probably won't take photos at the scene. \u00a0Take photos on your cell phone. \u00a0Be sure to get the license plate number of the other car. \u00a0Be sure to get photos of damage to the other vehicle as well as the \u00a0scene of the accident. \u00a0Why do you ask? \u00a0Because the other driver could claim that you caused the accident or his damage was minor and to prove your case, you will need \u00a0photos of his car to prove how his car impacted yours and how severe the impact was.<\/p>\n
After an accident, the law requires you to stop, contact the other drivers or pedestrians involved, exchange name and insurance information, and render assistance to injured persons. \u00a0For your own protection, get the names and phone numbers of all witnesses, photograph the scene and the vehicles involved in the accident.<\/p>\n
Go to the hospital if you need medical attention.<\/p>\n
Then, call you insurance company and report the accident. \u00a0And then call the other driver's insurance company to report it as well. \u00a0You can google the insurance company and obtain a number to call.<\/p>\n
The next day, follow up with any medical providers to whom you were referred by the emergency room. \u00a0Or if you didn't go to the hospital, but you're starting to hurt, go to your doctor or to a minor emergency clinic.<\/p>\n
Don't expect the other driver's insurance company to pay your medical bills. \u00a0Even if the insurance company accepts \u00a0liability, it will wait until the end of the case and sometimes it will send the medical records to its own doctor to evaluate them, to see if they have a reason not to pay those bills.<\/p>\n
One common defense \u00a0the insurance \u00a0company will raise is to claim that chiropractic care was excessive and that in a simple whiplash case, the injured person would recover in 6-12 weeks even without chiropractic treatment. \u00a0It's called the Quebec defense. \u00a0 If you have been seeing a chiropractor for 3 months or more and \u00a0you aren't better, you should check in with a medical doctor to get his opinion as to whether your chiropractic \u00a0care is appropriate and also to find out if your injury is more severe than chiropractic care can treat.<\/p>\n
How do you pay for the medical bills \u00a0before your case is settled? \u00a0Your medical payments benefits which you purchased with your automobile liability insurance should be billed first. \u00a0For more information regarding automobile \u00a0liability insurance, look at \"Car Accidents and P.I.\" page.<\/p>\n
If you don't have medical payment benefits, bill your group health insurance provided by your employer.<\/p>\n
If you don't have \u00a0group health insurance, you'll need to pay your bills directly, find a sliding fee scale clinic or \u00a0enter into an agreement with the provider to pay him when the case is settled.<\/p>\n
For more information, contact Keenan Powell: \u00a0keenan@keenanpowell.com. \u00a0Phone: 907 258 7668 or 888 368 5678.<\/p>\n
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