This guest post is from Ms.Kathrine Kreger, a freelance writer from Eugene, Oregon.
Becoming involved in an accident can be one of the most frightening and confusing situations that anyone can encounter. There are, however, five things you must know that will make dealing with an accident and its aftermath much easier. This article will serve as a primer for those situations.
1. Assess everyone’s situation
As far as you are able, you should get a good idea of everyone’s situation. Try to determine who was hurt and to what extent. Granted, some injuries might not be visible, but you should try to get a general idea of everyone’s physical condition.
2. Seek medical attention
Whether you believe that you have been physically injured or not, you should seek medical attention to make a final determination. You should also monitor your own situation for a while after the accident to make sure that there aren’t any longer term effects from the accident. There is a good chance that you might not feel pain for certain injuries for hours and days after the accident. These injuries might be cause for further attention from medical authorities.
3. Call an attorney and your insurance company.
As soon as possible after an accident you should contact an attorney and your insurance company to make sure that your rights are protected. Not only will you get informed legal and insurance advice, but with these two sources of objective opinions, you are more likely to get everything you are entitled to in the aftermath of your accident. Covington Injury Attorneys can be an excellent source of this help.
4. Document EVERYTHING.
Memories can be easily frazzled, especially in a situation that is as stressful and chaotic as an accident. In order to preserve as much of the information available from the time of the accident forward, try to document as much as possible. Gather as much as you can about the accident and the aftermath, including time the incident occurred, the weather, road conditions, names and contact information for everyone else involved, and anything else you feel is pertinent.
5. Stand Up for Yourself.
When it comes to an accident, you can’t be a shrinking violet. Whether you were responsible for the accident or not, you have rights, and nobody involved will be standing up for those rights unless you make sure the appropriate people do. Further, when you are vocal about what you expect from others, chances are good that they will respond.
