If you were involved in a car accident, it is vital to take the following steps:
1. Seek help
Call for help. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Talk to the police after an accident, no matter how minor it appears. The last thing that you want is to get injured and not have anyone know about your situation. Get the names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the event. If there was a passenger in any car, ask them if they would like to talk with you or give their name/contact info as well. This is particularly important if either party has left the scene (i.e., hit & run). Check on everyone else involved in the crash. You may need medical attention yourself, but other people were hurt as well. Check the responsiveness of their vital signs. If they are unresponsive or unconscious, call the appropriate emergency services.
2. Take first-hand evidence
Take pictures of everything around you with your phone or camera. Take photos of even the slightest damage done to both vehicles involved in the collision, such as dents, scrapes, and paint transfer. Also, capture anything else that may help with a police investigation. You can also take a short video since it works best when showing fault for an accident. Photos and videos provide evidence later when filing an insurance claim. The evidence also helps when talking to law enforcement officers about what happened during the accident. Document everything! Make sure you get copies of every piece of paper you sign. This includes any police reports, medical forms, and exchange driver’s licenses. Ensure you keep all receipts associated with expenses incurred due to damage done by the car accident (both property and bodily). You might need these later on when filing claims or charges against someone else or their insurance company if necessary for reimbursement purposes.
3. Consult an Attorney
Call an attorney if you were injured or suffered property damage from a car accident. There is no point in going through this process on your own. There are so many things that need to be done right away after being in a car wreck. It would help if you had assistance in filing insurance claims and dealing with law enforcement officials. An experienced traffic collision lawyer is of great help because he covers all the bases. Working with an attorney to deal with legal proceedings gives you a chance to focus on physical and emotional recovery. Not everyone has access to free legal advice 24 hours a day, because they do not know any lawyers. However, everyone can access free legal advice online or through phone directories.
Working with an attorney to deal with legal proceedings gives you a chance to focus on physical and emotional recovery. Nicole McCarthy and other accident attorneys help accident victims to deal with a legal matter. An attorney may be able to help in recovering compensation for medical expenses/treatment costs. He can also help to claim loss of income from work, pain & suffering caused by injury, or any other losses associated with the accident. Many laws protect victims from being victimized twice, so don’t hesitate to review them before moving forward.
4. Self-care
Take care of yourself! A lot of emotional and sometimes physical damage happens after a car accident. Sometimes people do not realize how much effort it takes to recover from the physical and mental trauma after an auto wreck. If your injuries require immediate attention, see a doctor right away. Make sure you have a thorough understanding of the diagnosis and treatment plan. Take your time to recover both physical and emotional damage so that nothing else gets aggravated along the way. Make sure you get plenty of rest, especially if you’ve recently suffered physical harm. It’s essential to take care of yourself while still working towards recovery, no matter how long it takes! The last thing any victim needs for another injury to occur because they tried too hard to get back on their feet. Give yourself enough rest and recovery time.
Conclusion
When an accident occurs, you should think about your safety. Make sure you notify someone about what happened soonest possible. Do not think of dealing with legal matters. Concentrate on your mental and physical recovery as the attorney deal with other issues. Be careful on the road for your sake and other road users.
Author information: Maggie Bloom graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in communication and writing. In her spare time, she loves to dance, read, and bake. She also enjoys traveling and scouting out new brunch locations.
