There are some very important steps to take when you get into a car accident or sustain a car accident injury. Even if you have no signs or symptoms of an injury after a car accident, they may come days after.
If you say, do, or do not do the right thing after an accident, you could find yourself liable for the accident, even if it was not your fault. For example, if you are rear-ended by another driver, but you get out of your car saying you are sorry, it could be seen as an admission of guilt in court. And when a car accident injury is concerned, you will want to get the injury compensation you deserve.
“If you’ve been hurt in an accident, you’ll need to recover things like medical bills, chiropractic expenses, lost wages and other costs incurred as a result of your injury,” Aventura accident lawyer, SteinLaw, noted.
If you have ever been in a car accident, or have sustained an accident injury, here are a few essential steps to take after a car accident injury.
1. Check For Injuries
The first thing you should do after a car accident is to check yourself and your passengers for any injuries. However, just because you may not feel or see an injury after a car accident doesn’t mean you do not have one.
2. Assess The Safety Of The Scene
Once you have checked for injuries, and if you can, assess the safety of the car accident scene. If your vehicle is on fire, smoking, or in a very dangerous spot, like in the middle of a busy freeway or intersection, consider moving to a safe place, but moving to a safe place, also needs to be done safely.
3. Call Police And Emergency Services
The next step to take after a car accident or car accident injury is to call the police and emergency services via 911. It does not matter if it was a serious accident or a small bump from behind, call 911. Do not leave the scene.
Did you know that most crashes happen below 15 miles per hour? And you can be injured in crashes with speeds of only 5 mph? Be smart and call for emergency professionals. This will be good if you are also not at fault of the accident as well.
4. Limit Conversation With Other Party
You definitely don’t want to say something that could be used against you by the other driver later. Especially if you are not at fault.
And be aware of who is filming, because in today’s mobile age, there will most likely be a video of what happens after the car accident. This makes limiting the conversation with the other driver or drivers an important step to take after a car accident injury.
5. But Do Get The Other Driver’s Information
You should not discuss what happened, or what caused the accident. However, you should begin getting the other driver’s information. This information includes:
– Name of the driver and passengers involved
– Driver’s license number
– The type of vehicle they drive
– Vehicles license plates
– The insurance company and policy number of the driver
If the driver of the other vehicle is hostile, take down the information you can and wait for police and emergency services to arrive. Do not get into an argument. If it is a heated issue, begin recording with your smartphone.
6. Document The Car Accident Scene
If possible, and if it is safe to do so, begin documenting the scene of the car accident. This includes taking images of your vehicle, the other vehicle, road signs, damage, license plate numbers, any skids on the road, and more.
If there were witnesses to the accident, ask them if you can record what they saw as well. You should also record your account of the accident as well, just in case you experience memory loss after the fact.
7. Call A Lawyer
This may seem like after the car accident is well over, but not really. If you can call a lawyer at the scene, he or she can instruct you on the above, and other important steps to take following the accident. This could be instructions on what to tell police, doctors, and even your insurance company.
Talk to a lawyer, especially one specializing in personal injury and car accidents, because you will want to ensure you are protected and you get the compensation you deserve down the road.
Wrapping Up
If you get into a car accident and need to know what to do, you can use the above as a quick guide. You may even want to bookmark them on your phone to have them if an accident occurs one day. Have you been in a car accident and sustained an injury? What did you do to get what you deserve?
