Being involved in a car accident can be stressful and traumatic, especially if you are injured. Even with all the safety technologies available in vehicles today, accidents can still happen. From a legal aspect, those same minutes and what you do with them can determine how solid a case you will be able to build.It`s easy to say that staying calm after an accident is important, but it can mean the difference between being able to process what has happened clearly and missing out on vital details. According to the professionals at the law offices of Hilda Sibrian, staying focused and in the moment is the best way to take stock of the situation while you start to collect evidence. If you are proactive at the scene of your accident, you can help your attorney by providing solid evidence to build your case.
If you want to protect your interests and get the compensation that you deserve following an accident you need to take these vital steps following your car accident.
Get Medical Attention
The first step after an accident is to call 911 for an ambulance and the police. Your first priority should be your health. If you have any pain at all it`s best to stay as still as possible until you can be evaluated by emergency medical services. Your adrenaline levels will likely be heightened after an accident, so you may not feel any pain right at the scene. Even if you don`t feel injured it is absolutely necessary to get cleared by the medical staff.
Many injuries, even ones that can drastically affect the rest of your life, do not show up until hours after an accident. You need to verbally request that your onsite medical report is directly shared with your family doctor and request a copy for yourself. It`s important to follow up with your doctor within a day or two following your accident for further review of your injuries.
Police Report
It doesn`t matter how serious the damage is during an accident, it must be reported to the authorities. Your auto insurance will not consider reviewing any claim that is not properly reported.
Once the police are on the scene you need to give them a clear statement about what occurred. Try your best to give a detailed account of everything that happened. Request a copy of your incident report to keep for your own personal files.
Collect Evidence
If you have been cleared to move around the scene of the accident, you will need to collect as much evidence as you can to help build your legal case. Write down as much detail as you can, including the weather conditions, the time of day and traffic conditions.
Use your phone to take multiple photos of the damage to your vehicle from different angles. Photos of the entire scene and the other vehicles involved can also be helpful.
Talk to the other people involved in the accident and make sure to get all of their contact and insurance information. If there are any eyewitnesses, ask them to make a statement and record it with your phone, or have them write it down and sign it.
Conclusion
The actions that you take directly following your accident can make a difference to your ability to build a legal case. Staying calm and in the moment can help you to focus on being proactive. What you do after an accident can be directly related to how much compensation you can get for your injuries and trauma in a court of law.