Have you been injured in a car accident?
After being in a car accident, you likely feel out of sorts and confused. Whether your injury was severe or minor, there are certain things you need to do after the accident.
Continue reading this article to learn what to do after an accident.
Do Not Leave the Scene of the Accident
If you leave the scene of the accident, you will get in big trouble. When you leave the scene of the accident it may be considered a hit and run. If the other driver flees the scene, there’s some useful information on what to do here. Ultimately, you must stay at the scene until the law arrives and lets you know that you’re allowed to leave.
Check Driver & Passenger Conditions
If you are able to move after the accident, exit the vehicle after checking on your passengers. You should also check the condition of the other driver and passengers to see how severe their injuries are.
Contact the Police
Once you know you’ve helped everyone as much as you could, contact the police. Once you contact the police, all you can do is wait for them to arrive on the scene and give them your statement. Answer their questions as required but do not give additional information.
Exchange Information
You’ll need to exchange contact information and insurance information with the other driver. If you can also get their address, driver’s license number and the information of all passengers, that is even better.
The more information you have on the other party, the better it will be in case you have to go to court.
Talk to Witnesses at the Scene
There are likely to be witnesses at the scene. You should speak to each of the people that saw the accident to see what they saw. You should keep their contact information to make they are back up your story.
If your case goes into a “he said she said” type of situation, you’ll need to have witnesses to help you back up what you’re saying.
Visit the Doctor & Track Medical Treatment
As soon as you’re released from the scene of the accident, you need to get medical attention. If you don’t get medical attention right away, you might not get the compensation that you need.
Visiting the doctor, even if you don’t feel like anything is wrong, is important. You never know when you start feeling pain because of the accident. Some injuries take days, weeks or even months to start manifesting symptoms.
If you didn’t get checked out right after the accident, you may not be able to build a solid case that your injury was related to the car accident. Depending on how long it has been since the car accident, it may be outside of the statute of limitations.
Have a doctor check over you and you may even want to go see a chiropractor. The more proof you have, the better for your case.
Take Photos
After the accident, take photos of the scene. While you can tell people what happened, it is much easier to understand when they can see the scene of the accident.
If you have any visible injury, take photos of those as well. Get photos from as many angles as you can. You never know what angles are going to capture the injury best and it’s better to have too many photos than too few photos.
Obtain Property Damage Valuation
Your insurance company will do a property damage valuation. Check the property damage valuation to see if you’re satisfied with it. If you aren’t, go to at least two body shops and get estimates for the work that you need to have done.
If you speak with the insurance company about your concerns and you don’t see eye to eye, you may need to speak to an attorney or employ the services of a meditator.
Keep a Tight Lip About the Accident
The only person you should talk to about your case is an accident attorney. You should ask them any questions you have about obtaining the compensation that is due to you.
If you speak with your insurance company or anyone else about the accident, what you say might be misinterpreted. Keep quiet until the case is settled even if you want to complain to someone about the accident.
Don’t Accept the First Settlement Offer
If you’re going after a settlement because of personal injuries and property damage, you shouldn’t always accept the first settlement offer. Many times these settlement offers are quite low and won’t even cover your expenses.
In case you don’t agree with the settlement offer, you need to have solid facts about why your case is worth more. Some proof you can use are receipts, proof of loss of work and any other problems the accident caused.
You may also have unseen injuries such as emotional trauma that can also play into the amount of the settlement. While people can’t physically see emotional injuries, if you have a compelling argument, they are likely to understand how the accident affected your day-to-day life in a negative way.
Protecting Yourself After Being Injured In a Car Accident
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The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
