Accidents are always a possibility for everyone on the road, and even a minor car accident can be challenging to handle. It is better to have a sound knowledge and understanding of what you should be doing if you ever find yourself in such a situation. The following few steps and suggestions should help with that quite a bit.
Call for Help
You should always call for help first even if nobody gets seriously hurt in the accident. All accidents need to be reported to the police because the ensuing police report will be required for claiming in your insurance at the very least. In any case, you can never really rule out the possibility that you or someone else may have suffered a less obvious, unnoticed internal injury. If it’s a severe accident, then a timely 911 call could make the difference between life and death.
People injured in a car accident will often drift in and out of consciousness, so call 911 or the local equivalent as soon as you are able to. In case you cannot remember things properly or if you are unable to speak, do not hang up. It’s true that help will get to you much faster if you can talk to the operator and let them know the details, but it’s not always necessary. They should be able to find you from your cellphone’s location if you keep the line open.
Check the Situation
After making the call for help, go through the following checks.
- Check yourself for injuries.
- If there are other passengers, check them for injuries.
- Check the car’s interior and exterior for signs of fire and deep, dark smoke.
Provided that you are not seriously injured yourself, get everyone out of the car and away from the wreck, even if the car is not on fire. However, if someone seems to have been gravely injured and the car is not on fire, don’t move them from their position until the paramedics get there. If there is a fire though, you will need to move them away from the wreck with care. Check the other car(s) to see if they need help, provided that it’s a multicar crash. Exchange names, contacts, license and registration info, and insurance details with them after the initial steps to ensure everyone’s safety as best as possible.
Collect Evidence
If you believe that the accident was not your fault but there is a party who should be held accountable, then you will need to consult with a car accident injury lawyer. The more evidence there is to support your claim, the better your chances of winning a personal injury lawsuit. You will want to show your vehicle accident lawyer as much relevant evidence that you can, so that they can estimate the case with greater accuracy. To do so, follow the instructions as stated below.
- Take several photos from multiple angles, as well as a few videos to properly show the scene of accident.
- Be sure to focus on the damages and injuries from multiple angles.
- Get a copy of the accident’s police report number so your lawyer can obtain the report.
- Save all bills, prescriptions, test results, and other documents related to medical treatment that had to be administered as a result of the accident.
- Save all bills, damage estimates, repair estimates, insurance reports, and other documents related to the cost of your car’s repair.
If you were seriously injured at the accident and could not be active at the time to collect evidence, don’t worry too much about it. Your state’s Statute of Limitations should provide you with ample time to recover sufficiently from your ordeal before going about it. Nevertheless, you should not delay any longer than you absolutely must. There might be more evidence to collect, but you will have better resources to guide you by then. This brings us to the next step.
Contact Your Personal Injury Accident Attorney
Call Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys. At Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys you can rest assured that you are with top notch lawyers who specialize in personal injury cases. We do not charge for the first consultation. In fact, we do not get paid unless we win your case. We will provide you with a free estimation of the case in terms of liability determination, winning potential, possible compensation amount, and more.
After getting in touch with your personal injury lawyers, you will gain access to investigative resources that only experienced accident injury lawyers can bring to the case. The resources will be used to collect more evidence in addition to what you may have already collected. Provided that the personal injury law firm can build a case strong enough, you may not even need to go to court.
If the defendant decides to settle the matter outside of a courtroom by agreeing to pay the compensation, you will receive your dues much faster. The actual outcome depends on the case’s merit and the motor vehicle accident lawyers involved on both sides, but it happens frequently. There will be negotiation sessions of course, but a defendant who is willing to negotiate is also more likely to settle quickly.
As far as preparation is concerned, the steps discussed here should provide readers with a general guideline. In case you or anyone you know is already suffering from the impacts of a past car accident, contact a road accident attorney as soon as possible. You should never delay the first consultation, especially if the accident is already several months old. Call Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys today.
