The legal and insurance procedures involved in a personal injury claim are complex and oftentimes confusing, even for people who work with those systems every day. It is not only important how your claim is handled, but it is equally important when your claim is presented. For example, there are some very short time periods within which a claim must be filed against a governmental entity. Also, the Statute of Limitations could expire before your claim is resolved, thus barring your claim forever. Likewise, mistakenly assuming that insurers or medical providers are looking out for your legal rights can be extremely risky. Finally, a personal injury may create other legal problems for you, from employment concerns to debt collection issues. Therefore, working with a caring and capable personal injury law firm which can evaluate your claim and guide you through the damage recovery process can provide peace of mind and valuable information with which to make informed and sensible decisions during very trying times.

If you have medical problems related to the accident, go to a doctor right away. It is very important to form a good relationship with your doctor at an early date to foster your recovery and to ensure that your medical advisors truly understand how your medical problems relate to the collision. Even if you have had a prior injury to the same or similar part of your body that is involved in the current crash, the aggravation of your previous injury is compensable. Please note that you should see a doctor for the purpose of getting treatment, not for the purpose of advancing a financial recovery. If you have concerns about your treatment we, at Neil Krupnick & Associates, are available to recommend medical health care providers and to discuss such how the selection of physicians can affect your case. At no time would it be appropriate to discuss with your doctor how you should go about the arduous task of making a claim or filing a lawsuit.

As soon as possible after your accident you should photograph all cuts, bruises, and other visible injuries that you suffered in the crash. Also, it is advisable to photograph the damage sustained by your automobile and any other vehicles involved in the collision. Please do not go to any tow yard or the residence of the adverse driver to photograph his/her vehicle; leave that to our investigators to accomplish that task. It is also helpful if you can provide Neil Krupnick & Associates with the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all witnesses to your accident. Again, our investigative team will personally contact these people in an effort to obtain their observations of how the collision took place.

As soon as your insurance company and the insurance company of the person who caused the collision are notified of the accident, each of them will want information for different reasons. Consult with Neil Krupnick & Associates before providing any recorded or written statement to an insurance adjustor or investigator, even if the other person’s responsibility seems obvious. Keep in mind that you are required to notify your own insurance company of the accident, and to cooperate with them to obtain certain medical and wage loss benefits. Rest assured, as your attorneys, we will help you obtain such benefits, if they apply. Since your own insurance company will want to interview you to determine eligibility for benefits, it is very important to consult with our office beforehand, if possible, and to ensure that the interview is conducted in the presence of one of our attorneys to protect your financial and legal interests. Equally important, we will provide the extensive experience needed to settle or litigate your claim, for the maximum amount of money.

There is no minimum amount of recovery for any personal injury claim. Every case is different, and the final settlement is often very subjective. What is important is that a case evaluation be performed thoroughly, professionally, and at an appropriate time when your doctor can predict the nature of your recovery. We at Neil Krupnick & Associates take great pride in the thoroughness of our case evaluation process. The attorneys roundtable each case to discuss the theory of liability, the nature and extent of the injuries and the magnitude of the damages. Only after their is a consensus of “value” do we proceed to attempt a negotiated settlement with the adverse insurance carrier.

Fixing the amount of property damage claims, particularly in auto or motorcycle accidents, often is presented by insurers as a “standard” process with little room for discussion. We are experienced in helping clients find alternate ways to value assets to ensure their settlements are not just standard, but truly fair.

To ensure that clients and their attorneys can speak freely about any legal matter, the law protects the confidentiality of attorney-client communications. Whatever you tell our office staff remains with our office. We are under a strict legal duty not to divulge information to anyone without your prior written consent. Beyond this legal duty, we also work hard to create a working relationship with clients that fosters open communications. We are always willing to discuss your questions by phone or to schedule an free office consultation with you. Under no circumstances should you feel that you are bothering any member of our staff with reasonable questions about your claim. After all, we do this all day long, you, hopefully, are only involved in this type of legal situation once.

The attorneys at Neil Krupnick & Associates prefer to meet personally with potential clients to discuss the facts of their claim and to make a preliminary evaluation of the case. Just call our office to schedule this free initial meeting. There is no charge for the meeting, even if the case is not one we recommend that you pursue. If we do recommend further action, we will ask you to read and sign our written fee agreement. The law provides that you may cancel the agreement, without any obligation, within twenty four (24) hours of your signing the retainer agreement. After that period you may still cancel the agreement at any time, although you will be obligated to reimburse our office for costs which you authorized and advanced on your behalf. Also, we may be entitled to a fee for the reasonable value of our services if any work which we have performed results in your recovery of money. In summary, if you feel that you may have a claim you should have the matter reviewed by legal counsel as soon as possible. By obtaining a professional evaluation you can be assured that whether you decide to pursue the case or not, your decision will be well-informed.

Cases may settle after a few months without the need for a lawsuit, mediation, arbitration or trial. No settlement should be completed without careful consideration and documentation of future medical and financial risks. We do not recommend settlement of any case until all injuries have stabilized with all losses and risks fully assessed. Your future is our essential concern.

There is no definite time period within which a case should be settled. Each claim depends on your unique circumstances. In all matters, however, we will regularly inform you of progress toward settlement, and we will diligently manage your case to eliminate unnecessary delays. Please remember that our fee is paid at the time of settlement of your claim. We are motivated to obtain the maximum financial recovery for you at the earliest opportunity.