Here’s everything you need to do if you’re injured in an automobile accident
ATTENTION – Before we dive into all of the different steps you’re going to need to take if you’ve been injured in an automobile accident, we want to stress just how important it is for you to take advantage of any and all medical attention after you’ve been in an accident.
If you’ve been injured, make sure that you call 911 ASAP. This is not something that you can afford to ignore, delay, or skip out on.
After you’ve pursued medical attention, then and only then will you want to consider pursuing legal advice and representation to make sure that you are well taken care of, that your rights are respected, and that you have every opportunity to pursue competition.
For more information, call us at 866-598-5548.
The seven things you need to do IMMEDIATELY after an automobile accident
There are a lot of things you’re going to need to do when you find yourself in an accident, but here are seven of the most important things you need to do immediately after this type of incident happens.
Make sure that you stay as safe as possible immediately after the incident
Accidents are tremendously disorienting, and it’s likely that you’re going to be dealing with a lot of adrenaline, a lot of stress, and may be operating “on autopilot” at least a little bit.
You need to clear your head quickly, and you need to make sure that you stay as safe as humanly possible and that you secure the site of the accident ASAP.
You’re still driving, you’ll want to pull over to the side of the road – and if your vehicle is significantly damaged, is smoking, or is leaking fuel you need to pull over a safe distance from traffic and then evacuate the vehicle as quickly as you can.
Settle down and take some deep breaths
Secondly, you’re going to want to take a quick moment to settle things down, to really try and quiet your mind, and to put your nerves at ease.
You’re definitely going to be on edge when you’re in an accident (especially if you do not feel that it was your fault), but you do not want to allow these emotions to really start to spiral out of control – especially when you are already in an agitated state. The last thing that you want to do is push an already dangerous situation into something even riskier for all involved, so sit back, relax, and try to keep calm.
Call the police and emergency services as soon as you’re able to
There are a number of different reasons why you’re going to want to contact the police and the emergency services as soon as you have the ability to do so, but the most important reason is to make sure that everyone gets the help and assistance that they need and that they deserve.
You’re also going to be able to rely on law enforcement officers and emergency service personnel to provide you with an objective accident incident report that is going to be tremendously useful when it’s time for you to contact your insurance company.
The police will gather all witnesses, come up with a general timeline, and can help you when it comes time to be litigated if at all necessary. They’ll also be able to secure the site and get traffic flowing so that no one else runs the risk of getting into an accident, either.
NEVER admit to fault at any point in time
Though you aren’t going to want to assign blame to anyone else immediately after an accident (only because of how easily these situations boil over when tension is high), you warrant ever going to want with me at fault at any point in time, either.
Answer any and all questions as honestly as possible, make sure that you are respectful and forthcoming, but never put yourself in a position that forces you to admit fault. Leave that for the police or insurance companies to determine on their own.
Make sure to get the contact information from the other drivers
Even though long hours when officers are going to make sure to get contact information from all involved, it’s always a good idea for you to try and pursue this information all on your own.
Not only are you going to want to get the driver’s license number and car insurance information from the other driver (or drivers), but you’re also going to want to get their contact information if at all possible as well. This will help you significantly when it’s time to move forward with your insurance company.
Take as many pictures of the scene as you safely can
Thankfully, almost all of us have high-definition cameras in our pockets, and it is absolutely effortless to snap a couple of shots over there or even take some video) of the scene of an accident without any trouble at all.
You’re going to definitely want to do this just as soon as it is safe to do so. The more photographic evidence you have of the site and the scene, the better off you are going to be when it comes time to deal with your insurance company.
It’s all going to be proof that you’ll be able to use to support your side of the story, and it’s definitely going to be useful should you have to litigate any of the issues later down the line.
Because it is so simple and so straightforward (as well as costs next to nothing as far as storage space is concerned), don’t be afraid of snapping as many shots or as many quick videos as you reasonably can.
Contact your insurance company just as quickly as you can
It’s always a good idea to get a hold of your insurance company as early in the process as possible, even if they have told you in the past that they are going to be the ones to contact you after an incident is reported.
They are almost always going to provide you with a quick questionnaire that you need to fill out, and they are almost always going to call you on the phone to speak more about the incident in question. They may even send out an insurance adjuster all on their own to get answers personally, and that’s something that you’re going to want to prepare yourself for.
Make sure that you are well represented after the accident
Car accident injuries are almost always tremendously painful and can be very, very expensive to repair and remedy.
Even though they are rarely caused by the deliberate actions of another driver, they are almost always caused by a driver’s negligence – and there’s absolutely no reason whatsoever that you should have to foot the bill when it comes to your medical bills and any other financial hardships you’ve had to suffer because of the negligence of someone else.
Even the slightest accidents have the potential to cause a long-lasting pain, trauma, and chronic conditions that you’re going to need to have addressed by professionals. You’re going to need to make sure that your medical expenses are covered, that any lost wages are covered, and that your time has been compensated – especially if this incident has been caused by someone else.
Thankfully, when you decide to take advantage of the best possible representation (the kinds of legal experts that will make sure that you are represented well and receive the compensation you deserve), you aren’t going to have to worry about much.
Here’s what you’ll need to do…
You’re going to want to make sure that you’re always working with the very best legal representation in the area, and you’ll need to make sure that you’re always working with professionals that are experts in this particular field of law.
If you’d like to get a little bit more inside information about how to move forward to get you the kind of representation and results that you deserve, simply contact our offices at 866-598-5548 at your earliest convenience.
We’ll be happy to help you out!
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