The Sebastian Gibson Law Firm serves auto, motorcycle and truck accident victims in San Diego, Carlsbad, Oceanside, La Jolla, Del Mar, Escondido, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Vista, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Encinitas, and Pacific Beach. We also serve pedestrian, bicycle and car accident clients from Orange County to Palm Springs, Palm Desert and Indio, Long Beach and Santa Monica, from Newport Beach to Anaheim Hills, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard and San Luis Obispo, Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga, from Palmdale to Victorville and Hesperia, and all of Southern California.
Visit our website at http://www.sebastiangibsonlaw.com if you have a personal injury legal matter of any kind. We have the knowledge and resources to represent you as your San Diego Personal Injury Lawyer and Escondido Personal Injury Attorney or your attorney in and around the cities of Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Anaheim, and Santa Ana. We also serve Orange, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Corona, Temecula, Murrieta, Westminster, Buena Park, Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, Riverside, San Bernardino, Moreno Valley, Fontana, Laguna Niguel, Chino Hills, San Clemente, and Newport Coast.
1. Riding home in the front seat with a good looking police officer.
2. Riding home in the back seat handcuffed with any type of police officer.
3. Ruining that new car you gave your spouse for their birthday.
4. Saying you can’t do any work around the house for the next six months and producing a bogus off-work slip from a doctor.
5. Using a massage parlor for physical therapy treatment.
6. Using a massage parlor for chiropractic treatment.
7. Telling your spouse they are going to have to get a second job because you can’t work.
8. Using a good personal injury lawyer instead of the spouse’s brother’s drinking buddy divorce lawyer.
9. Becoming a couch potato.
10. Asking your spouse to bring food and drinks to you even if you can walk.
Here are ten actual tips of advice from a personal injury lawyer to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a personal injury in Escondido, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com and learning how we can assist you.
Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it may have been a few hours since the accident. However, if you ever have another accident, or if it’s only been a few hours since you were hurt, here’s what you should do from the start.
First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.
Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.
Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.
Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.
Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.
Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.
Seventh, call a good personal injury lawyer as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the attorney can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good personal injury lawyer can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good personal injury lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most personal injury attorneys advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.
Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.
Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.
Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.
If you’ve had a personal injury accident in San Diego, Carlsbad, Oceanside, La Jolla, Del Mar, Escondido, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Vista, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Pacific Beach, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your San Diego Personal Injury Lawyer and your Escondido Personal Injury Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.
If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com and learn how we can assist you.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- San Diego Car Rentals - Need To Rent A Car In San Diego?
- San Diego Car Accident Lawyer’s Top Ten Things You Don’t Want to Hear While Being Examined at a Clinic After a San Diego Car Accident
- San Diego Car Accident Lawyer’s Top Ten Things You Don’t Want to Hear While Being Examined at a Clinic After a Car Accident
- Choosing The Right San Diego Personal Injury Lawyer
- Looking for Auto Repair Services in San Diego
- San Marcos Car Accident Attorney’s Top Ten Things That May Get Drivers Cited for Causing Auto Accidents
- Don’s Panic, the Lock Smith in San Diego is Already Here
- San Diego Auto Insurance: Making it Easier for the Lives of San Diego Residents




Electrical Fires
By: Adam | 11/11/2009Burn injuries triggered by electrical fires can be catastrophic. Smoke and toxic gas from the fire can induce comas, cause severe brain damage, and kill.
What Should I Do If I Suffer a Serious Burn Injury?
By: Adam | 11/11/2009Burn accidents can happen at any place and time, often when someone least expects them.After securing all necessary medical care and treatment, you should consult with an experienced and knowledgeable New York personal injury attorney if you believe that you or someone you care about has been injured due to the fault of another party.
Road Traffic Accidents
By: Ayesha Salim | 11/11/2009Being involved in a road traffic accident can often be a traumatic and frightening experience. If you have been lucky you will only have suffered some minor injuries and damage to your vehicle. However, in some situations the consequences of the road traffic accident can be far more catastrophic.
Reviews and Tips for Knoxville Personal Injury
By: Jeremiah Brooks | 11/11/2009If you've been hurt in an accident in Knoxville, it's urgent to find a professional injury barrister. You need to go over your options thoroughly before choosing someone to help you. The success of your case will depend upon many factors. A good part of success will hinge on your attorney's ability. If you pick someone inexperienced then you can be assured the result may not be in your favor. It's a smart idea to meet with your barrister before making the decision to keep him...
Seattle Injury Attorney's Survival Guide to Handling Foodborne Illness
By: Kirk Bernard | 10/11/2009If you are a resident of the state of Washington, or anywhere for that matter, and ever suffered from a foodborne illness, you know how ill you can become. There are five main steps that you must take to keep yourself and your food safe from foodborne illnesses.
Depositions – Understand How It Works
By: Thomas Ajava | 10/11/2009Every lawsuit is based on the evidence presented in it. That is a rather obvious statement. The procedure for these lawsuits calls for a period of discovery. As the name suggests, this is the time when the parties find out what each other have in regards to evidence and generate testimony from the parties and witnesses regarding the events of the dispute. This testimony is gained through the deposition process.
Car Accident Compensation – Making a Claim after an Accident on the Road
By: Sean Butcher | 10/11/2009If you are involved in a car accident, one of the last things that would cross your mind would be how to go about making a claim for car accident compensation. The experience is scary enough by itself, without the daunting thought of having to deal with solicitors and all the expense that comes with it.
Pursuing A Spinal Injury Claim
By: Ayesha Salim | 10/11/2009The full impact of a spinal injury can be life changing. Not only must you deal with the physical and psychological scars of the injury, but also witness the affects of it on the loved ones around you. Most likely, other major areas of your life will be affected too.
California Pedestrian, Bicycle, Car & Motorcycle & Death Accidents - A Personal Injury Attorney Explains Insurance Company Bad Faith Settlements
By: R. Sebastian Gibson | 30/10/2009 | Personal InjuryAn Analysis of Insurance Company Adjuster Bad Faith, in California Pedestrian, Bicycle, Car and Motorcycle Accidental Injury and Death Accidents By An Experienced Personal Injury Attorney and Former Insurance Company Defense Lawyer And What You Can Do To Stop Their Bad Faith Actions.
Dental Group Scams, Dentist Fraud, Rip Offs, Bait and Switch, False Advertising and Dental Malpractice in California
By: R. Sebastian Gibson | 24/10/2009 | Health & SafetyDental Fraud and Malpractice Attorney Sebastian Gibson Discusses Dental Group Scams, Dentist Fraud, Rip Offs, Bait and Switch Tactics, False Advertising and Dental Malpractice in California and how a few bad apples in the Dental Profession are tarnishing honest, ethical and caring dentists with the same toothbrush.
California Super Literary Agent and Publishing Power Lawyer Discusses The Changing Book Publishing Industry
By: R. Sebastian Gibson | 06/08/2009 | LawPublishing Power Lawyer and Literary Super Agent Sebastian Gibson gives this perspective on the changing book publishing industry and the effect of big box retailers, online booksellers, e-readers, and electronic publishing on mainstream and independent book publishers.
California Publishing Power Attorney Tells How Literary Super Agents Use Auctions to Sell Manuscripts to Book Publishers
By: R. Sebastian Gibson | 06/08/2009 | LawLiterary Power Attorney and Publishing Super Agent Sebastian Gibson gives this perspective on the use of “Best Bid” and “Best Offer” Auctions as well as “Rolling” and “Rounds” auctions in the sale of manuscripts and projects to publishers in the book publishing industry.
CA Wrongful Death Attorney, Lost Love Lawyer and People Search Attorney for CA - Find Your Lost Love
By: R. Sebastian Gibson | 10/06/2009 | LawCA Lost Love and Lost Loved One People Search Lawyer and Wrongful Death Attorney, Sebastian Gibson discusses why reunions with lost loves are so successful and why there is nothing that is so intense or provides people with more hope today than reuniting with a lost love. Find out why you should search for and win back your lost love. As a wrongful death lawyer, Sebastian Gibson also represents family members who have lost a loved one in a wrongful death.
Southern California Wrongful Death Attorney, Lost Love Lawyer and People Search Attorney for Southern California - Find Your Lost Love
By: R. Sebastian Gibson | 10/06/2009 | LawSouthern California Lost Love and Lost Loved One People Search Lawyer and Wrongful Death Attorney, Sebastian Gibson discusses why reunions with lost loves are so successful and why there is nothing that is so intense or provides people with more hope today than reuniting with a lost love. Find out why you should search for and win back your lost love. As a wrongful death lawyer, Sebastian Gibson also represents family members who have lost a loved one in a wrongful death.
California Wrongful Death Attorney, Lost Love Lawyer and People Search Attorney for California - Find Your Lost Love
By: R. Sebastian Gibson | 10/06/2009 | LawCalifornia Lost Love and Lost Loved One People Search Lawyer and Wrongful Death Attorney, Sebastian Gibson discusses why reunions with lost loves are so successful and why there is nothing that is so intense or provides people with more hope today than reuniting with a lost love. Find out why you should search for and win back your lost love. As a wrongful death lawyer, Sebastian Gibson also represents family members who have lost a loved one in a wrongful death.
Yucca Valley Wrongful Death Attorney, Lost Love Lawyer and People Search Attorney for Yucca Valley - Find Your Lost Love
By: R. Sebastian Gibson | 10/06/2009 | LawYucca Valley Lost Love and Lost Loved One People Search Lawyer and Wrongful Death Attorney, Sebastian Gibson discusses why reunions with lost loves are so successful and why there is nothing that is so intense or provides people with more hope today than reuniting with a lost love. Find out why you should search for and win back your lost love. As a wrongful death lawyer, Sebastian Gibson also represents family members who have lost a loved one in a wrongful death.