A car accident is never planned for and the moments that follow an accident can often be stressful and incredibly chaotic, however, according to Kweku Darfoor, founder of Darfoor Law, there are a few important things everyone involved in an accident should do immediately following the event.
1. Call 911.
Regardless of the severity of the accident, the police should always be called, and getting the police on the scene as soon as possible is important so the individual can properly file a report. Remember, after leaving the scene, it’s just one person’s word against the other.
2. If able, get information from a reliable witness or witnesses.
A memory may fade, so getting this information as soon as possible is also vitally important. The witness can serve as an unbiased, 3rd party and will be very valuable to the police and the insurance company when deciding the liability issue of the accident.
3. Take pictures of the collision to document it.
Capture the accident (both vehicles) from a variety of angles. These photos will prove the exact damage the car sustained at the time of the injury and could be the difference between a good or bad outcome down the road.
4. Go to the hospital to get checked out.
Even if someone feels perfectly fine, there could be dire complications occurring internally. Darfoor recalls multiple instances in which an underlying, hidden issue ended up leading to victims worsening condition or even death
5. Speak to an attorney before speaking to the insurance company.
An attorney can better explain the path forward and is working in the client’s best interest as opposed to their own interest.
“We represent the everyday individual,” says Darfoor, “The common person who is just working hard, on their way to work, to school or home to their families that is the victim of someone else’s poor decision. All too often, we see these individuals experience a life-altering event due to another person’s negligence.”
Although Darfoor works with clients who have experienced a personal injury for a host of reasons, by far, the most common is an injury sustained in a car accident.
Kweku Darfoor, the founder of Darfoor Law and a personal injury lawyer, is based out of Southeastern Florida. Born in Sierra Leone to two Ghanaian parents, Darfoor moved to the United States at just six years old. He attended Florida Atlantic University where he obtained a degree in economics before going on to enjoy a successful sales career. By 2008, when the real estate market crashed, Darfoor was looking for a change. He decided to enroll in law school while also studying for his MBA. By 2011, he graduated with a law degree from Florida State University, College of Law. He passed the bar and after a few years of bureaucratic delays, he obtained his license to practice law.
In 2014, with just $500 to his name, a laptop, a cell phone, and a small suitcase of clothes, he founded Darfoor Law. In the early days, he practiced a variety of everything, from personal injury to real estate law, family, and business law.
“I quickly realized that I would never find success as a jack of all trades, master of none.”
Around this same time, Darfoor’s community experienced a great tragedy when on October 18th, 2015, 29-year-old Corey Jones was shot and killed by a plainclothes police officer. Darfoor had known Jones from high school and was hired by the Jones family to represent their case against the police officer, Nouman K. Raja, and the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department. In 2019, Raja was found guilty of manslaughter by culpable negligence and attempted first-degree murder with a firearm. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. This case was a pivotal experience in Darfoor’s career. Although being thrust into the spotlight due to his involvement with such a high profile case was difficult to navigate as a young lawyer this experience was profoundly impactful and solidified Darfoor’s decision to practice personal injury and make a career out of helping others who had been injured due to another’s negligence or mal-intent.
If you’ve experienced a personal injury, Kweku Darfoor and his team at Darfoor Law are the top solutions for legal representation in southeastern Florida. To inquire about their representation or to schedule a consultation, visit http://darfoorlaw.com/.
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