October 28, 2022 – Guido Gurrera
Attorney Guido Gurrera of Gurrera Law has seen his fair share of personal injury cases.
Over the years, he has handled cases involving car crashes, boat crashes, motorcycle accidents, animal attacks, and other situations. However, as an experienced plaintiff’s attorney and civil litigator, he understands exactly what actions you should take and what you should avoid when you are in an accident to protect yourself legally, while taking care of yourself physically and mentally.
Follow this advice when you or a loved one is hurt in an accident:
1. Take care of yourself first.
Your health and safety are number one. If you are hurt you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Encourage your passengers to do the same. Don’t let your loved ones try to “tough it out” when you know they should see the doctor. Things that seem minor at first may later turn out to be serious or even life-threatening if not addressed.
Many times, people who are involved in an accident are reluctant to go to the hospital because they are worried about incurring medical expenses. People don’t realize that in many instances there will be some benefits available to cover expenses regardless of who is at fault.
For instance, in Pennsylvania, if you have auto insurance, or live with someone who does, and are involved in an accident, your insurance provides at least $5,000 in medical benefits regardless of fault. Even if you don’t have auto insurance, if you are hit on a bike or as a pedestrian, you can access medical benefits through insurance on the car that hit you. If you are hurt while working, your workers compensation insurance will cover your medical care. Many homeowners policies provide medical benefits for someone injured on the premises. Don’t let your fear of a medical bill outweigh your own health and safety.
2. Preserve the evidence!
“Evidence is like smoke, it vanishes.”
As time goes on, things change. People disappear. Witnesses’ memories fade. Broken railings and wrecked cars get repaired. Important details about your accident may vanish.
This is why documenting evidence is vital. Take photographs of the damage, skid marks, license plates, and insurance information. Write down the names and phone numbers of any witnesses before they leave the scene. Ask someone you trust to record the ice patch that caused your fall. Capture images of your injuries, bruising, and lacerations. Check the area for businesses that may have captured the incident on security camera and go ask for a copy. Keep receipts.
Similarly, if you are injured by a defective product, make sure to keep it so it can be analyzed. Losing it, repairing it, or destroying it can cost you valuable evidence.
3. Watch what you say and to whom.
People can unwittingly make statements that can later come back to haunt them. An innocent tweet such as – “I was just in a bad accident, but I’m OK!” – or an instagram picture of you laying by the pool can be used at a later date to argue that you really weren’t hurt after all. Make your social media accounts private. Don’t accept friend requests from strangers. You never know who may be looking at your profile.
Likewise, you may receive a call from an insurance adjuster, private investigator, or attorney who wants to ask you questions about what happened and record your statement. Not only is this stressful, but your own words might be used against you later in numerous ways. Decline their request until you’ve spoken with counsel.
4. Act fast. Consult with an experienced attorney.
After an accident, you will have enough on your plate. Bills will arrive in the mail. Whose responsibility are they? Your car is wrecked. How can you get a rental? Someone wants to meet and talk about your accident. What should you do? Your mind will be full of questions, worries, and anxieties. Talking to an attorney will help you get answers and determine whether you have a case worth pursuing.
This being said, not all attorneys are equal. Make sure that you consult with an attorney who is experienced in personal injury law. An experienced personal injury lawyer will be able to think creatively and analyze your case. For example, when a car crash occurs, people may assume that there are only two parties who could be at fault: the two drivers. But when you’re seriously hurt, and your future is on the line, you need an attorney who is experienced enough who can see beyond the other driver and investigate other potential causes.
For example, could poor design of the roadway be a factor?
How about a defective tire?
Was the other driver over-served at a bar?
Was the other driver entrusted with a vehicle when their employer knew them to be dangerous?
Was an adjacent property owner’s vegetation to blame?
Having an attorney who is experienced and able to make such a close examination of your case not only gives you peace of mind, but it may help you identify other sources to compensate you for your harm.
But don’t delay, your case may have specific deadlines. Government agencies only keep records for so long. Evidence needs to be preserved. Your delay in contacting an attorney could prejudice your case.
Have you been injured in Western Pennsylvania or Ohio? If you have, Attorney Guido Gurrera is the legal representative for you.
1. He is experienced.
Guido has successfully handled hundreds of cases in his career as a plaintiff’s attorney and civil litigator. He has recovered millions of dollars for his clients in personal injury cases including car crashes, motorcycle accidents, trucking accidents, and many more types of cases.
2. He is diligent.
Guido’s favorite part of his job is “the dirty work.” He loves visiting the scene of the incident, inspecting vehicles, trekking through roads, digging through documents to investigate alternative scenarios to get to the bottom of cases. He performs factual and legal research and scours over your medical records.
3. Hiring Guido is mutually beneficial.
Attorneys commonly work on an hourly basis. This means that you are responsible for paying hundreds of dollars per hour for their work. They also commonly ask you to front the costs of any case. Those fees and costs can add up fast. And how are you supposed to manage these bills when you’ve been hurt and can’t work?
However, Guido never charges for an initial case review. And he handles personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis. That means that he only earns money if he recovers money for you. In short, he takes on the financial risk – and fronts the costs – so that you don’t have to, guaranteeing that he will do everything possible to successfully represent you.
4. He treats you like a human being.
You have been hurt, you are facing physical and emotional pain, and you are trying to get your life back on the right path. You have more important things to focus on than your case. Guido understands this. He wants you to let him focus on your case so that you can focus on your recovery.
Whereas other law firms may treat you like a number (or just a dollar sign), Guido treats you like a human being. He understands the difficult situations that his clients are in, and he wants to help. With Guido, you won’t find hidden costs, red tape, theatrics, or stuffy black suits. What you will get is experienced representation, trusted advocacy, honest communication, and fair compensation.
Have you or a loved one been injured in an accident?
Call or contact Attorney Guido Gurrera to see how he can help: https://gurreralaw.com/
***** The information on this page is for information purposes only, and should not be relied on as legal advice. Accessing this information or contacting the firm does not create a lawyer-client relationship. Detailed information regarding the specific costs and fees of any particular case will be set forth in a written agreement prior to commencement of representation. *****
