Anybody who drives an automobile is almost certain to be involved in a crash. Traffic accidents are the leading cause of lawsuits in America. If you’re ever in a road accident, the time after that will be stressful, but it’ll also be vital for establishing injury litigation.
Seek Medical Services
If you’ve been in a car accident, the first step you should do is seek medical assistance, even if you don’t believe you’ve been hurt.
Contact the Appropriate Authorities
You must contact the appropriate authorities after receiving medical attention. It’s unlawful in several jurisdictions to leave an accident scene without submitting a police report, and you can’t normally file a bodily damage insurance claim without one.
Hire a Lawyer
Whether the incident was your fault or not, you need to seek the services of professional accidental injury attorneys if there are any personal injury victims present as a result of the accident. For instance, if you want to file a personal injury lawsuit against another driver, you’ll need the help of an injury lawyer to negotiate with insurance firms or represent you if the matter goes to court.
There is a pretty good chance that anyone who drives a car is going to, at some point, be involved in an accident. Traffic matters are the number one cause of lawsuits in America, and there are an estimated 5.5 million car accidents every year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, these accidents result in about three million injuries and another 40,000 deaths annually. If you ever do get into a car accident, the time immediately following is going to be stressful, but it is also crucial for building a personal injury case.
1. Seek Medical Attention
The first thing you should do if you’ve been involved in a car accident is seek medical attention, even if you don’t think you are injured. Car crash injuries can be hard to notice at first, especially with all of the distraction and stress surrounding the accident. Make sure that whoever treats you checks you thoroughly and documents all of your injuries.
2. Call the Authorities
After you get medical attention and treatment, you need to make sure that you contact the proper authorities. In some states it’s illegal to leave the scene of an accident without filing a police report and you usually cannot file an insurance claim without one. You should make sure to only speak to the police and make sure that you never apologize or claim fault.
3. Hire a Car Crash Attorney
Whether the accident was your fault or not, you’re going to want to hire a car crash attorney. If you plan to make a personal injury claim against another driver, you’re going to need his or her expertise to negotiate with insurance companies or represent you in court if the case does become a personal injury lawsuit.
Do you have any tips for handling things right after a car accident? Feel free to share them with us in the comments section below. References.
