If you wish to file a personal injury claim against someone for a car accident, slipping on their property, or another accident, you need to prove that you were injured due to neglect of another. Here are five steps you need to take if you are injured due to someone’s neglect.
Sometimes adrenalin after an accident causes us to pay more attention to the situation rather than our immediate medical needs. Adrenaline is a natural hormone produced by the body during a traumatic situation. Our bodies create adrenaline to protect themselves. As a result, we often don’t experience pain until a day or two afterward.
It’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible in spite of how you originally feel. You may have injuries that only an x-ray or other diagnostic test can reveal. Don’t minimize the pain and think, “It will go away on its own.” It may not. Plus, if you wait too long, your insurance company may argue the accident wasn’t that serious or your injuries could have happened from another incident.
In the midst of the stress, one of the main steps is to make a report of the accident. Call law enforcement, speak with a store manager, homeowner, landlord, or whoever is the person in charge.
You want to make sure a record of the accident has been made. Get the details in writing, request a report be made, and get a copy.
In addition to having an accident report, document your injuries and all of your medical treatment. If necessary, take photos of your injuries as well as the location of the accident. Photograph any stairs, icy patches, weather conditions, or anything else that contributed to your accident. Make a note of the exact date and time.
Get a full report from your doctor describing the extent of your injuries and the diagnostic tests done for evaluation. Your medical records become a vital piece of evidence if you need to seek compensation. You may even want to place the clothes and shoes you were wearing in a separate area in order to prove you weren’t at fault.
If there are witnesses, ask for all of their contact information. Get their full names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails. Their statements can also help if you need to file a claim.
Try and remain as calm as possible. Limit your conversations to the person you are filing the report with. Don’t post the accident on social media. Don’t make any statements to your insurance company either. Speak with an experienced attorney first.
Personal injury cases are complex and often difficult to prove which is why you need an experienced lawyer. In order to recover damages, you and your lawyer have to prove that someone else was negligent. You need someone who has the experience and knowledge to successfully recover your losses.
For more information or to schedule an initial consultation, please contact Scott’s law office. We’ll give you a call as soon as possible.
A Jefferson City man faced DUI charges following a field sobriety test. Charges against the defendant were dropped after Scott successfully maintained the client’s claims that the test results were inaccurate. While the client initially appeared to be in a difficult situation, Scott was able to push investigators to determine the sobriety test results as invalid, so the charges were dismissed.
A mother was seeking sole custody of her children following a divorce. The father refused to cooperate, leaving the client in a difficult situation as she felt as though her children didn’t have a voice. Scott recognized her need for an advocate and carefully listened to the children’s wishes, which conclusively helped the client achieve sole custody of her children and protected their best interests.
A client from Fulton was accused of drug possession as a result of a home search. While drug charges may potentially be filed as a Class C felony involving severe consequences, Scott was able to help the client receive a reduced sentence. Ultimately, the client faced significantly smaller penalties compared to the initial charges.
Scott assisted a defendant in a particularly challenging divorce case in which the other spouse was not cooperating. Scott was able to help the client avoid court through an aggressive legal approach to resolve all outstanding disagreements while maintaining the client’s long-term needs.
One client sought legal assistance after an altercation with another individual in Jefferson City. The client was arrested on assault charges despite allegedly not starting the fight. Since an arrest can lead to life-altering penalties such as being terminated from employment and serving jail time, Scott was able to build a solid legal defense in the client’s favor and argued in favor of the client’s innocence.
A grandparent sought visitation rights to his grandchild after the parent tried to block him. Scott takes grandparents’ rights very seriously, and so he devised a strategy to help the grandparent set a visitation schedule. Scott developed a strategy to show that the child’s best interests were fulfilled through the grandparent’s ability to visit the child, helping push the case towards a resolution in the client’s favor.
Scott assisted a client who was injured in a car accident due to another driver’s negligence. The defendant claimed that the opposing party using their phone at the time of the crash, and Scott emphasized this claim to show that the other driver was at fault for the client’s injuries. The case concluded with the client receiving the necessary compensation for medical bills following a long hospital stay due to injuries.
I have been working with Mr. Hamblin for almost one and a half years and consider him to be one of the finest Lawyers I have ever done business with. Mr. Hamblin’s understanding of Missouri law is to say the least encyclopedic. His areas of expertise are broad and far-reaching. While working with Mr. Hamblin I found that he has an innate gift for what he does. His availability, presence in the courtroom, and demeanor with prosecutors, plaintiffs, witnesses and defendants are unparalleled in Missouri’s capital. Jefferson City is the epicenter of all legislation in this great state of Missouri,…
Scott was efficient and knew his stuff. Very thorough and committed to our family. He had worked on two different cases for us and did an excellent job. No regrets!
I called Mr. Hamblin to represent my family member. When we went in to have a meeting, Mr. Hamblin was very honest said he felt that he could represent him and help with the matter that he had been charged with. I was so glad that I had contacted Mr. Hamblin on this matter, because he did just what he said that he would do. He did so in a timely and professional matter, and the expense was very minimal considering that this could have been a life-changing matter. I want to say a big Thank you Mr. Hamblin for…
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Mr. Hamblin succeeded in winning a child custody modification case for me that most lawyers I spoke with wouldn't even take on. Many told me that modifying a child custody agreement was nearly impossible. Due to the changes at my children's Father's house and the toll it was taking on their mental health, my children needed this modification and were begging for a change. Mr. Hamblin helped give my children a voice and get what they call "A Christmas Miracle" when we won full custody of them a few days before Christmas. I would recommend his counsel to anyone needing…
I am so grateful that I hired him, he gave me hope to overcome my fear and anxiety. Now my case was dismissed because of his hard work. Thank you so much Attorney Scott. May God bless you, and keep continuing to save people's lives!!!
There are no words to express how grateful I am for the opportunity to be represented by Mr. Hamblin. I have enjoyed working with him and his assistant, especially through some of the most challenging moments of my life. Selecting someone to handle your case can be a very difficult decision to make, but even from the moment I arrived at the office for my consultation, I knew I had found the right attorney. Thank you so much for a positive outcome, Mr. Hamblin!
I got stuck between a rock and a hard place in my situation as was in need of help. Scott was appointed to be via public defender for a federal case and I could not have wished for a better lawyer and overall individual. He would show up for me while I was incarcerated on the weekend when he had time and would also work around my work schedule to meet while I was not incarcerated. He extensively researched my case and talked to me like a human rather than another client. He's very kind and will tell you the…
Scott is a very compassionate but honest man. I have known Scott for 10+ years. I met him while fostering children with Cole County Children's Division. When he became the adoption lawyer for Cole County Children's Division in 2007 my husband and I were one of the first to use him to become adoptive parents to our then two-year-old foster son. Our son just turned 13 years old this year. In 2013, he represented my husband and me to get guardianship for our foster daughter. We are beyond blessed to have such a great guy like Scott to represent us.…
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