Do you know what to do if you have been involved in a car accident? Countless people have found themselves in a very serious crash and have no idea what they should do to ensure that they are protected at this extremely important time. This posting discusses some of the practical steps that you should take in the event that you are injured in a crash.
Call 911 so emergency personnel respond to the scene
The first thing you should do after an accident is call 911. Police and paramedics will be sent to the crash location to provide the necessary assistance. Anyone who is seriously injured will be transported to nearby facilities. Police at the scene will be able to take control at the accident scene and prevent further incidents from occurring. They will also be able to begin their investigation into what exactly happened in the crash.
If you remain at the scene, there are important things that you must, and must not, do
After the accident, you will need to trade insurance information with the other motorists involved. You should, if possible, take photos of their insurance cards and licenses, as well as the damage sustained by the vehicles. All of this could be extremely important information that you will need later.
If the other driver starts asking you about what happened in the accident, do not make any statements about the crash. Anything that you say could be used by the other parties to try to limit their responsibility for the accident. The insurers of the other parties may be extremely aggressive when attacking your claims, and you do not want to give them anything extra to use against you.
Talk to a personal injury attorney about your case as soon as possible
There are many people injured in accidents who do severe damage to their claims because they fail to seek the advice of an experienced attorney. Because they wait to have a discussion about their case, they do not have all of the information that they need to build the strongest possible claims for compensation. They simply accept what the insurance companies tell them, and they release their claims for a fraction of their value.
An attorney will be able to prepare all of the items necessary for you to pursue the recovery that you deserve. This includes visiting the scene to collect evidence or document conditions at the time of the crash. Your attorney may also be able to ensure that you are able to reach witnesses of the accident if it is necessary to contact them as your case moves forward.
An attorney will also be able to help you navigate the often confusing issues related to the interplay between your automobile medical payments insurance coverage, your health insurance coverage, the liability insurance coverage of the at-fault driver, and your own underinsured/uninsured automobile coverage. An attorney will help you to be able to focus on what’s most important – your own health and well being.