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**Host:** “If you missed any information on today’s guests, make sure you head over to our website at wnyliving.tv to find out more about all the segments on today’s show. You’ll also find archives of past shows and clients—it’s all on the web at wnyliving.tv. Now, let’s head back to the Western New York Living Studio.”

**Host:** “And welcome back to Western New York Living. Now, if you look up ‘accident’ in the dictionary, you’d see the meaning is ‘an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally.’ By this, it’s understandable that most people do not understand what their rights are when they become a victim of a car accident. John Richmond and Keith Vona from Richmond Vona specialize in representing people who have suffered injuries in an accident, and they are here with us this morning. Thank you both for being here. John, I’ll start with you. What can people expect if they find themselves a victim of a car accident? What should they expect?”

**John Richmond:** “Sure. Nobody expects to be in a car accident, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be prepared. And, of course, car accidents are very traumatic experiences, so it can be very difficult to think clearly in the aftermath. In reality, we work with people pretty quickly after an accident to get involved right away to get them the best results possible. There are steps they can take to make sure they’re prepared and give their attorneys the best chance of getting the best result possible. After calling the police and seeking medical treatment, the first thing you want to do is call an experienced personal injury attorney. An experienced personal injury attorney who handles car accidents on a daily basis will move in right away, conduct a thorough investigation, work with you to make sure you don’t miss any of those really important insurance deadlines that, if you miss, could result in you losing your benefits. Ultimately, they’ll work with you to get you the best result possible. But, of course, we don’t expect people to call a personal injury attorney while they’re at the accident scene. There are some steps they can take to protect their rights and make sure their attorney has the best chance of getting the best result possible down the road.”

**Host:** “Who should they call first, the attorney or their insurance agent?”

**John Richmond:** “Honestly, they should call their insurance agent initially. They have a responsibility to do so under their policy. After they call their own insurance company, they should be mindful about what they say. Even though it’s your insurance company, they may not be on your side. Their objective is to get you off their insurance as soon as possible. You should never speak to the insurance companies with respect to the other vehicles involved because they definitely don’t have your best interest in mind. They’re looking to get a recorded statement from you that you’re not obligated to give, and a lot of times, they’re trying to settle your case quickly for pennies on the dollar without proper guidance from an attorney.”

**Host:** “Keith, you’re also a former law enforcement police officer. What should people say to the police officers who respond to the scene?”

**Keith Vona:** “Sure. Well, a couple of things, Kevin. Initially, after an accident occurs, there are a couple of things you need to do to protect yourself and your rights. The first thing is to make sure nobody has a serious injury. If there is a serious injury, call 9-1-1 right away. If there’s not, and this is something I experienced a lot as a police officer, if there’s nobody seriously injured, move the vehicles off the roadway. It’s not a problem to do that, especially if you’re on a main thoroughfare or a highway, for your own safety. Once you get them to the side, call 9-1-1. The police will come, and it’s important that you wait. Sometimes it could take a little while, depending on the location of the accident and the call volume they have, but it is imperative that you wait so that you can provide the officer your rendition of what happened with the accident. This will help you and your attorney down the line if they have to prosecute your case.”

**Host:** “John, when it comes to how you handle your clients, you treat them all individually. It’s personalized representation, isn’t it?”

**John Richmond:** “For sure. These are serious injuries that affect everybody differently, and there needs to be a different approach with every single client. Every case has different facts and circumstances, presents novel issues, presents different injuries, and ultimately affects people differently. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. We approach each case personally. We meet with our clients and lead them every step of the way through the legal process.”

**Host:** “Important information. We’ll tell everybody how they can get in touch with you. John and Keith are just part of the fabulous law team that makes up Richmond Vona. They specialize in serving injured clients throughout Western New York. To find out more about all the legal services they offer, head to their website at richmondvona.com, or you can give them a call at 716-555-6789 to speak to their staff and set up an appointment. Their offices are located on Seneca Street in Buffalo.

Now, don’t go anywhere because coming up next, we’ll be joined by Dr. Bob’s Dental Care and learn about the CEREC crowns they offer for patients. Western New York Living will continue.”

**Host:** “This segment of Western New York Living was sponsored by the following.”