Hiring a lawyer is like putting yourself in a stronger position. The experienced lawyers of Gould Injury Law can help you understand your legal options and make good decisions.
When you face frustrating and complex paperwork, our Connecticut legal team can help you handle it fast and meet crucial deadlines. Our trustworthy attorneys are ready to aggressively defend your rights, pursuing the compensation you deserve. Yet, did you realize you can do even more to increase your chances of success?
Schedule an appointment with our Connecticut team by calling (888) WIN-FAST at your earliest convenience. Consult this useful guide before your visit or video chat. If you provide the information suggested below, your lawyer can start building your case fast.
Contact Our Legal Team as Soon as Possible
After a car accident, you probably have many questions. You might need guidance about what to do and how to avoid common mistakes.
Like many law firms, Gould Injury Law offers consultations to provide prospective clients with valuable information fast. Though some lawyers might charge you, our initial case review is free.
Too many things in life are difficult, especially if you are recovering from emotional and physical injuries. We try our best to make the legal process easy by offering three convenient options for scheduling a consultation:
- Visit our Hartford, New Haven, or Waterbury offices during business hours
- Start chatting with a live representative now by clicking the icon on your screen anytime
- Call (888) WIN-FAST, open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day
Are you ready to get in touch? Don’t hesitate.
You must report your accident right away
As soon as you get into a car accident in Connecticut, you become subject to deadlines. One of the most urgent is reporting your accident to law enforcement. Ideally, you should call the police as soon as the accident occurs.
In Connecticut, you must report all accidents involving death, injury, or property damage by calling 911 or informing a law enforcement officer. If injuries or other circumstances prevent you from making the call immediately, you should report the incident as soon as you are able.
Most accident information summaries, a type of preliminary report, are available for 30 days from the date of the event. You can purchase a complete case report for minor accidents within 10 business days. More complex cases not available within 30 days must be requested electronically.
Because insurance companies require fast action
Insurers set time limits on:
- Reporting an accident: Each company has its own policies about how long you have, but all expect you to get in touch within a reasonable amount of time
- Submitting documentation: You will need to fill out paperwork and send in proof of property damage and injuries
- Appealing denials: If the insurer rejects your claim, you must appeal within a set amount of time
Late filing or tardy documents will likely result in a denial of your claim. As a result, you may have to pay for your car accident damages without any compensation.
Connecticut statutes limit your time to act
Connecticut statutes of limitations regulate how long you have to take legal action. In general, an attorney must file a personal injury lawsuit within 2 years of the crash.
In short, you need to act fast. Gould Injury Law earns its name as “The Fast Firm” because we start working fast from the moment we meet our potential clients.
Once you reach out, our representatives will schedule your consultation at your earliest convenience. What can you expect during your consultation?
We Need to Know Your Whole Story
First, we need to know about your accident. Some clients find it helpful to jot down some notes before the call. That way, you will not leave out any relevant details.
Before the accident
What led up to your motor vehicle accident? Your lawyer needs to determine whether damages resulted from someone else’s negligence.
Though you might feel something was insignificant, our experienced lawyers understand how human errors contribute to car accidents. For instance, try to remember:
- Weather conditions: Was the motorist who ran into you driving too fast for conditions such as rain, snow, or ice?
- The state of the road: Were there potholes, debris, fallen branches, or other obstacles? Was the snow recently cleared?
- Traffic: What was the flow of traffic like just before the incident? If you were rear-ended in a traffic jam, for example, it could mean that the driver behind you was following too closely or was distracted.
- Erratic driving: Did you notice strange behavior from the person who hit you or a third party? If so, you might have been hit by a driver suffering from a medical issue, fatigue, or the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Lawbreakers: Many accidents result from someone running a red light, speeding, or breaking other rules of the road. Please tell your attorney immediately if you saw a traffic violation before you got hit.
- Mechanical issues: Some car issues happen suddenly and without warning. Yet, other times there were indicators before the incident. Let us know if you saw smoke or heard odd noises from any involved car, including yours.
The more vivid the picture you paint of the accident, the more clearly we can see how we can assist you in pursuing justice.
After the accident
Any information you collect at the scene of the accident could prove quite useful for your lawyer. Please share:
- Your contact information and that of other involved drivers, passengers, and eyewitnesses
- The date, time, and location of the event
- A chronology of what happened
- Insurance details, including policy numbers
- Photographs of the vehicles, injuries, or surroundings
- The name and badge number of the police officer responding to the emergency call
- What medical attention you received
Besides these practical details, you should also relate what the other motorists said and did. For instance, did they:
- Apologize or admit fault
- Say whether they or the occupants of their car were hurt
- Slur their words
- Smell of alcohol
- Behave strangely or contradict themselves
- Mention prior health conditions, car issues, or medical conditions
- Flee the accident scene
- Provide false information to authorities
The saying goes, “A problem shared is a problem halved.” In difficult times, you don’t have to struggle alone. If you have difficulty obtaining crucial documents, such as a physician statement or accident report, we would be happy to help.
Ask Us Questions to Learn More
Worries can rob you of your peace. At Gould Injury Law, we want every interaction we have with you to make you feel better. One way we help restore peace of mind is by answering questions fast.
When accident victims speak with us on the phone or in person, they might not remember all the questions they wanted to ask. Writing down a list of concerns between appointments will ensure you always get the answers you need.
Learn about our firm and process
If you are not sure what to ask, consider the following topics:
- Our firm: Have we handled cases like yours before? What success rate do we have? Will you really owe nothing unless we win?
- Personal injury law: What are my chances of recovering significant compensation? Will I have to go to court? How long will it take to receive my settlement?
- Insurance: How can I understand my coverage? What if the at-fault driver is uninsured? What can I do if the company seems to delay my payment?
Accurate information is the cornerstone of good legal decisions. Gould Injury Law welcomes your questions.
Know your game plan
What do you want your legal actions to accomplish? Good communication will enable us to explain your options and develop a strategy to achieve your goals. Our personal injury team excels at finding solutions for our clients facing challenges.
Every year traffic accidents claim lives in Connecticut. If you are representing the interests of your deceased relative, ask yourself, “What does a successful outcome look like to me?”
Our compassionate attorneys want to hear about how the loss of your loved one is affecting your life:
- Emotionally: You could qualify for pain and suffering damages if you lost companionship, guidance, or a marital bond
- Financially: The at-fault party could be liable for lost wages, medical expenses, and end-of-life costs
- Physically: Our attorneys can pursue compensation for services your family member provided (e.g. child care, cleaning, yard work)
No client is exactly like another. If you have specific goals in mind, you can help your attorney to address your needs.
Choose Fast and Aggressive Representation
We understand that time might seem to pass slowly when you are facing a challenge. We want to get you relief – fast.
The attorneys of Gould Injury Law have decades of experience helping the injured get justice. Once we have the facts, we can help you build a strong case and avoid common mistakes that can jeopardize your right to claim compensation.
Learn what you can do to rebuild your life after your accident. If you are ready to begin, call us at (888) WIN-FAST today to sign your case over the phone. Or if you prefer, one of our experienced staff can arrange an in-person meeting.