Yesterday a potential client called me about an auto accident she had the day before. She found my name through a Google search. She called me only because (1) she had already been called by the adjuster for the at fault driver, who offered her $500 for her "pain and suffering (in exchange for a full release of any future liability); and (2) she was being bombarded by calls from injury "help centers," "hot lines," and chiropractors telling her she was eligible for a "free medical examination."
And in 1-2 more days, her mailbox will be stuffed with about 16 letters, brochures, and DVD's from attorneys offering their "years of experience" to get her top dollar on her claim.
Not having been through this before, she didn't know what to do, and quite frankly was tired of the whole thing. This scanario is becoming more commonplace, unfortunately.
It dawned on me that auto accident injury victims are nothing more than participants in an involuntary race of sorts. The insurance companies are racing to "cash her out" before she even knows the nature and extent of her injuries, in order to cut their losses. Included in this high speed chase are the chiropractors and attorneys racing to sign her up for their own obvious financial reasons.
My advice: avoid the whole lot of them. Take a step back. Let some time pass to see if you need any follow up with your medical provider of YOUR choice, or if time and a few Motrin will allow you to determine if you're truly OK and in no further need of any medical treatment. I sent her a book I wrote on what to expect after an Ohio car accident, and how injury victims can get drawn into this black hole. And I told her to call me if she had any further questions.
In other words: avoid the race, or worse yet, the onslaught. She was smart enough to have the sense to take a step back and weigh her options. Others who come to see me, AFTER this "machine" runs its course, many times aren't so lucky...
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