With the increased occurrences of car accidents in the US, it is pretty to see people looking for different means to fix the damage. Because of extreme panic and adrenaline rush, drivers might not be aware of the steps they would need to take or address the accident adequately.
Therefore, you should be aware of the proper steps you should take in advance if a car accident occurs. However, irrespective of knowing what you should do, unexpected things can occur if your case is fought alone, like handling insurance. This is why lawyers are needed who would help you in the process after accidents.
While accidents are scary, you might also forget to take specific steps to be protected. Nevertheless, here are some crucial steps that you can take after a car accident.
Let’s discover what these are:
1. Get Medical Care
Your first concern after an accident should be your safety and health. Ensure that you are checked out and injuries treated and documented by paramedics on the scene.
Sometimes car accident injuries might not be visible. Symptoms and even pain from concussions can take hours, days, or weeks to appear. Therefore waiting longer might lead to injuries worsening.
Even when you are not in pain after an accident, you must see a doctor for a checkup. There, imaging tests can be conducted for swelling, internal bleeding, soft tissue damage, and fractures.
You should keep track of your medical record and how you are affected by the accident, especially in your daily life. This would be used by your attorney when fighting for your case.
2. Seek a Lawyer’s Assistance
After getting medical assistance, seeking help from a lawyer is another vital step that you should take after an accident. With the legal system’s complexity, you should talk to a personal injury lawyer who would help file a case properly.
Talk to your lawyer about your medical treatment, the wreck, and other information that would be important in evaluating your case.
Also, ensure that you don’t speak directly with the insurance company. This should be left to your lawyer to handle for you. You must choose an attorney experienced in car accidents that would help get your entitled compensation.
3. Call the Police
Ensure that you call a police officer after getting into an accident. The investigation officer would write a report about the accident’s injuries or death. However, you should ensure that you get a copy of the official police report of the accident.
The official police report should have details like those at fault, names, and relevant insurance information of the parties involved.
There should be no attempt at payment negotiations with the involved parties. When you do not involve the police, there could be potential dishonesty by the other party.
4. Gather Relevant Information
After an accident, you must get the contact information and insurance information of the party involved. However, more details would need to be collected.
Memories sometimes quickly fade. Therefore keeping proper documentation can help you recollect the details of the accident.
These details that should be documented include photos of injuries, photos of the accident scene, location and time of the accident, details you can remember about the accident, and photos of vehicle damages.
5. Contact your Insurance Company
Contacting your insurance company would be the next step after the above. Regardless of who is at fault, letting your insurance company know about the incident would be good if the other party is not insured.
Your insurance company can also provide your attorney with information about the other party and their insurance. You might not hear from the other party’s insurance company after the wreck.
Then in such a case, you should place a call to their company letting them know that you and one of their drivers were involved in a car accident.
It is important to note that only some basic information should be offered when you are talking to the other party’s insurance company. And in cases where you hire an attorney, ensure that you do not give recorded statements.
Final Walkthrough
Car accidents can sometimes result in catastrophic and devastating injuries. Therefore, you must take the proper steps to ensure you are compensated.
Calling for medical help should be the first step when involved in an accident. Then you proceed to call the police and then gather information.
The chances of winning a lawsuit by yourself might be nigh impossible. Therefore you must seek the aid of a lawyer with the right legal knowledge to help fight your case.
