What Steps You Should Take if You Have Been Injured in a Car Accident?

Steps You Should Take When Injured in a Car Accident

No one ever thinks they will be the victim of an injury inducing car accident; however, every year over 2 million people are injured in car accidents in the United States. If you are the victim of a car accident, it can be scary and confusing trying to figure out the next steps you should take. Below is a list of four things you need to do if you have been injured in a car accident.

1. Call The Police: If you have been injured in a car accident, the most important thing is for you to do is get checked out by a doctor as soon as possible. If your injuries are serious, you will want to call the police and request an ambulance. In addition to providing you emergency medical transport, the police will also come out and take an incident report, which will serve as an official record of what happened. No matter what, do not allow the other driver to convince you not to have the police come to the scene. Even if the other driver is taking responsibility for the accident at this point in time, they may change their story after speaking with their insurance or an attorney. The police record is an important safeguard to protect you from stories that may change over time.

2. Get Information About the Accident and the Other Driver: This is going to be a key step to take. Once you are in an accident, make sure to get the other driver’s insurance information and also take down the Make, Model, and License Plate of the other driver’s car. You will also want to create a detailed account about what happened. Be as detailed as you can about the circumstances surrounding the accident including street names, directions you were driving, and any other details you can think of. Also, be sure to document all the damage that you see on your car, as well as how you are feeling and what injuries you may have. If there are any witnesses to the accident you will want to get their contact info, because you will likely need to get their account of the story.

3. Call Your Insurance: You will need to call your insurance and report the accident to them as soon as possible. Your insurance will want all the details regarding the accident, so if you have created the written account from the previous step above, it will help ensure that your conversation is a lot more productive. Even if you are not the at-fault driver, your insurance will need to have details about what happened. Even if you think you may have been partly to blame, don’t assume any responsibility for the accident at the scene, and wait until your insurance has had a chance to send out an adjuster to review the details.

4. Call Your Personal Injury Attorney: No matter how serious your injuries are, you should call a personal injury lawyer after you have been in an injury producing car accident. Although theinsurance companies involved may try to settle with you by telling you that you don’t need a lawyer, they will likely not take into account all the costs that are associated with your injuries like pain and suffering, time lost from work, and physical therapy that might be needed. Calling a car accident lawyer is the best way to be sure that you get the settlement you deserve without the headache of trying to represent yourself, or trying to navigate through the difficult world of car insurance settlements. You should be able to focus on healing and getting better, not worrying about trying to get your bills paid. If you have been the victim of a car accident you need a personal injury attorney to represent you.