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5 Tips for the first conversation with the insurance adjuster after a car accident
Many accident victims are nervous about their first contact with the insurance company’s adjuster, and justifiably so. Assuming anyone who was recently in a car wreck is dealing with injuries and emotional stress that come from a traumatizing event, it’s hard to think clearly through a claim negotiation. Here are some tips for that first contact with the insurance adjuster to help you advocate for yourself or a loved one and set the stage for financial recovery instead of further anxiety and financial stress.
Tips on proving wage loss to an insurance adjuster
Talking with an insurance adjuster can be difficult at any time during the claims process, but all the more so when an injured person is feeling the stress from lost wages. Here are some thoughts from Bill Coats Law in Bellingham, WA on what's at stake and what an insurance adjuster will require in paying lost wage claims.
Does size matter? In car v. semi crashes like this one, yes it does
A recent catastrophic accident involving two semi tractor trailers and six cars or pickup trucks showed how clearly large trucks have the advantage in an accident. However, does this mean cars are always going to lose in accidents with bigger vehicles? Increasingly, materials and engineering have leveled the field. Read more from Bill Coats Law in Bellingham, WA about top safety ratings for cars.
An often-overlooked key to winning settlements in personal injury cases
Negotiation, strategy, experience and skill - all of these qualities make a personal injury claim reach a successful verdict or settlement. But here is one key aspect that can easily be overlooked by personal injury attorneys working with injured people. Bill Coats Law, of Bellingham, Washington, is the top car accident law firm in the fourth corner and writes on this basic human quality that wins cases.
A helmet might not protect you from this if you're hit by a car
Though the technology and design improves more and more with each year, bicycle helmets can't always protect bicyclists from TBI. If you've hit your head in a bike crash, know the signs and symptoms of this all too common problem, from this post by bike accident attorney Bill Coats Law in Bellingham WA.
Want to prevent a TBI? Make sure to always wear this when you bicycle
It's no mystery. Wearing a bike helmet when you bicycle, skateboard, inline skate, or ride a scooter greatly reduced your chance of getting a brain injury. For recent statistics on bicycle crashes and injuries, as well as tips on finding the right helmet, click here for this article from Bellingham lawyer Bill Coats, a bicycle and car crash attorney.
Wearing a helmet reduces fatalities by 85%. Tips on buying the right one
Seems like a no-brainer to wear a helmet each time you skateboard, bicycle, or inline skate, doesn't it? If that one statistic doesn't convince you to make this a habit, click here for this story from Bill Coats Law, a personal injury law firm in Bellingham, WA, with recent statistics and advice on buying a helmet.
Be careful when transporting fragile goods: wear a bicycle helmet
Did you know that some cities do not require bicyclists to wear helmets? There is no state law mandating their use, either. This is surprising, due to statistics showing that “helmet use has been estimated to reduce head injury risk by 85 percent,” according to the Bicycle Safety Helmet Institute, a volunteer advocacy group. Go here to learn how helmets protect you, and why you should never get on your bike without one.
Estimating costs of future medical treatment key to fair car accident claims
Even a fairly minor car accident can cause long-term injuries requiring extensive medical treatment – it is crucial to know how to estimate the cost of future medical treatment. Bill Coats Law represents car accident victims and writes on next steps to take if you are hurt by someone else's negligent driving.
Statistics on drunk driving from MADD
Since it's formation in 1980, Mothers Against Drunk Driving has made leaps in the education of Americans about drunk driving. Even today there are more and more studies and statistics available to highlight the dangers. From Whatcom County lawyer Bill Coats, here is a summary of statistics on drunk driving.