Important Things Car Accident Survivors Should be Aware Of
The aftermath of a car accident is usually a confusing moment of a personal injury, emotional turmoil, and contemplating what to do next. Accident victims may be worried about being disabled, scared, absent from work, or facing a whole new reality of life.
Accident victims should be wise to follow the procedures of post-collision that could help them preserve valuable evidence, protect against accidental admissions of negligence, and acquire the highest available compensation for their physical and financial harm.
The following are important things that accident survivors need to be aware of to help them avoid unseen life complications.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention.
Ensuring your health, safety and wellbeing should be your top priority after a car accident. It starts from the accident scene and continues for some months or more. Go directly from the accident scene to an emergency room, in an ambulance, if an EMT orders you to. Also go to Air Ambulance 1.
Even if an EMT says you are better off without an emergency medical treatment, always fix an appointment with a physician within 24 hours from the accident. Accidents can lead to severe, life-threatening health issues that may not likely show immediate symptoms. A doctor can spot these conditions. Also, to protect your health and wellbeing, seeing a doctor as soon as possible after a car accident ensures that medical records are aligned with the accident and the injury, which is beneficial in legal actions to come.
Get Yourself An Attorney.
There’s no need to worry about contacting an attorney right from the accident scene, but of course, you should contact one of these experts as soon as possible to ensure your legal rights remain protected. An experienced personal injury attorney who has assisted with a car accident in the past will have an idea of how to protect your legal interests. He will offer you the best possible chance of obtaining compensation for the entire expense of your injuries. A car wreck attorney in chicago can also help you out with the same cases, especially if you live in Illinois.
Preserve Available Evidence About The Accident.
Your memory of the accident is likely to fade out quickly. Road crews will also arrive in no time to clean up the mess. You are left with a limited time to gather up some evidence that may price crucial to acquiring compensation for your injuries.
This should be done only if possible and if safe to carry out. Take photos of the scene before tow trucks, and road crews arrive to clean up. Take photos of all angles of the scene with your cell phone. There is no such term as too many accident photos. Capture images of your vehicle, including clear images of the damages, other evidence of the scene like shattered glass and metals, surrounding buildings, and other available features of the scene.
Contact Your Auto Insurance Company.
Despite not being the cause of the accident, contact your auto insurance company quickly after the accident. They can help you start the ball rolling of your accident claim, especially acquiring compensation for your vehicle. You may also need to cancel your auto insurance policy in the event of a totaled auto. Most car accidents, mostly those that cause serious injuries, also cause substantial damage to the vehicles involved in the accident. You may need to dissolve the current insurance policy that covers your totaled vehicle.
Register a new vehicle if necessary. Most accident victims purchase new vehicles sooner or later after an accident. You will need to register that vehicle with your auto insurance company. Feel free to discuss any future changes to your insurance policies. Most victims find that an accident shows them weakness in their current insurance policy. Most victims choose to upgrade those policies to higher their coverage.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Most victims assume that when they suffer injuries in a car accident, the other party will have to pay for their medical bills. There might be a strand of truth in the long run, but your medical bills are currently your financial responsibility.
For that reason, it’s essential to contact your health insurance company quickly to give them a clue about your injuries and to know the limits of your coverage. When an unseen injury interrupts your life, information is there to give you power. Don’t let yourself get exposed to being blindsided by insufficient coverage at a critical moment.
Get A Copy Of The Police Report.
The police report from your accident will contain essential information, not just the date, time, and location of the accident, but also the people involved and any evidence that shows what exactly caused the accident. As soon as you are with the police report, thoroughly go through it for incorrect reports. Ensure that all the information containing the police report is correct to the best of your knowledge.
Take note that a police report, despite being an official document, represents only a police officer’s view of the accident and the fault of your car. Hence, while you need a police report from your accident, don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t appear to have all the necessary information that you think is relevant to your claim.
Car accidents could be a slight one without obtaining injuries, while on the other hand, they could be a critical one. Whichever accident you get yourself involved in, first things first, make sure you seek medical attention. This is essential to remain on the safer side. After a car accident, contact a reputable and experienced car accident attorney to know more about your legal rights to ensure your eligibility to file a personal injury claim.
