For more than 30 years, Jim Hanson, founding partner of Hanson &Co Personal Injury Lawyersat 1401 Lonsdale Avenue, has been protecting clients’ interests in cases involving ICBC and other motor vehicle or accident insurers. Hanson and Company is the North Shore’s largest personal injury law firm and offers assistance to victims of vehicle (ICBC claims), pedestrian, cycling accidents, and victims of assault.
Jim suggests following these five steps if you’re involved in an accident:
1. Medical attention: “Make sure you get the medical attention you need right away,” Jim advises. “Call an ambulance if you need one; make an appointment with your doctor, if you don’t need an ambulance; go to emergency if your doctor is not available. Take care of yourself first.”
2. Contact details: Obtaining the names and contact details of everyone and every vehicle involved in the accident is vital. “That includes vehicle license and registration details, plate numbers, and the driver’s license information,” says Jim.
3. Photos of accident scene:While a diagram of the accident scene can be helpful, a photo or two can explain much more. “If at all possible, try and snap a few photos with your smart phone. These could be very useful in any potential claim.”
4. Witness details: When possible, compile a list of contact details of any witnesses to the accident. “Phoning the police would also be a good idea,” Jim says. “Make sure you supply them with the witness details.”
5. Legal representation: Finally, make sure to phone either your lawyer or insurer, or both. “Call one or the other right away,” advises Jim.
Failure to take immediate action or forgetting to get the contact information of everyone involved, including potential witnesses, could mean you might lose your right to compensation at the time of a personal injury claim.
Hanson & Company has a free App for smart phones to help people who have been in accidents deal with getting the important details of the incident on the spot. Jim hopes you will never need it but it pays to have it in your phone just in case.
“People are obviously quite distraught and rattled after an accident,” says Jim Hanson. “Our smartphone app will prompt and remind them of the things that need to be done right after an accident occurs.”
For more information on what to do after an accident, call Hanson & Company at 604.984.7555 for a free confidential consultation, or email or visit their webpage http://www.hansonco.ca for your appointment to meet with Jim or one of our other lawyers for advice.
