is call 911. They should report the crash and injuries to the police officer or first responder. If it is safe to do so, they should take a few photos of the vehicles and the scene to preserve the evidence, especially if liability is challenged. Next, they should seek medical attention if they have any pain following a car accident. The next thing they should do is obviously call Siegel Injury Law to assist them with a claim. How can an experienced personal injury attorney help to reduce losses and stress during these situations? There are a lot of things a personal injury lawyer can help a client who has suffered injuries from a car crash. Of the many things a lawyer can do, we can help with finding medical providers to work on a lien, help with property damage assessments, and help getting rides to and from doctor appointments. Statistically, people who hire a personal injury attorney get higher average settlement offers than without an attorney, even taking into account the attorneys’ fees. There are tons of advantages to having an attorney, who will alleviate the stress and worry of having been in an accident. In what ways have advances in medical technology and the rising cost of medical care affected the way motor vehicle injury cases are litigated and settled? We have not seen a lot of differences in our cases due to the rising cost of medical treatment. On many of our cases we work with doctors’ offices on a lien basis, which means the doctor has a right to be paid out of the proceeds of the settlement. It works well for our doctors and clients. Insofar as medical technology, this has mostly stayed the same in our cases. Clients still need x-rays and follow-ups with CT scans or MRIs. We have not seen a lot of changes from medical advancements, but I think the technology is getting better every day and will provide even more relief to our clients. After experiencing a motor vehicle accident, what should be an injured party’s first course of action? The first thing a person should do after being involved in a car accident 90 LAWYER MONTHLY JULY 2023 About Julie Siegel Julie Siegel is a St Louis-based personal injury attorney. She is experienced in tackling a range of personal injury cases, including car and truck accidents, slip and fall, wrongful death, workers’ compensation and product liability. Since graduating from St Louis University in 1996, Julie’s years in practice have seen her issuing sound advice on workplace injuries, auto accidents and family law to countless clients. Contact Julie Siegel Founder Siegel Injury Law, LLC 130 S Bemiston Ave UNIT 608, St. Louis, MO 63105, USA Tel: +1 314-695-8060 E: Julie@siegelinjurylaw.com www.siegelinjurylaw.com Approximately 90% of my work is representing people who have been injured in a motor vehicle collision.
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