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What to Do After a Car Accident
After a car accident, injured parties will be taken to the hospital so their injuries can be treated. If the car accident was relatively minor, emergency medical services may not arrive at the scene. However, you are still strongly encouraged to seek medical attention. Not only can this benefit you physically - many injuries are not detectable until a few days or even a week after the accident - but a medical visit can create a medical record that serves as valuable proof of your injuries.

When both parties are able, they will start the claims process with their respective insurance companies. Filing a claim involves contacting your insurance company either by phone or online and reporting the details of the accident. Policyholders should be able to provide the following information:

• The details of the accident (What happened?)
• Any pictures or records that may be useful in the investigation
• The names of all parties involved
• What insurance company the other driver has
• Police report of the accident (not always required)

After you give your insurance company these details, they will assign your case to a claims adjuster. The adjuster will evaluate the details of the accident, look over your insurance policy and correspond with the other driver's insurance company to arrive at a settlement amount. One thing about insurance companies that you must know: they will do whatever it takes to minimize the value of your claim. Why? Because the less you get, the more the insurance company gets to keep.

Because you can go through the claims process without legal representation, many people wonder why they need a car accident attorney. Here's a list of some of the ways you could benefit by retaining representation after your collision:

• They can deal with the insurance company for you
• They often get clients much more than the insurance company originally offered
• This may be your first accident, but a quality firm has handled thousands of car accident cases
• They can ensure all your paperwork is filed thoroughly and on time
• They will come to you. If you were injured after your accident and unable to meet at their offices, they can travel to meet you at home, in the hospital or elsewhere.
The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus have won more than $100 million in verdicts and settlements for their clients.
The Law Offices of Gerald L. Marcus 296-2992

photography by Dan Watson /The Signal

The Signal Now Under Local Ownership
for First Time in
37 Years
Former publisher Russell Briley of Castaic, along with Gary Sproule and Charles F. Champion, are now equal partners in ownership structure of Santa Clarita's local community newspaper. The Signal first appeared in Santa Clarita in 1919, as a weekly paper. Publishers and staff of Inside SCV Magazine congratulate the new owners and wish them the best in business and beyond.