A car accident can be a scary and disorienting experience, so it is perfectly understandable if someone doesn’t know what to do after getting into one. However, there are certain actions they need to take that will help them at the accident scene and later on when they need to file a personal injury claim. A personal injury claim will help the injured accident victim to get compensated for the losses caused by the accident.
The losses from a car accident are called damages, and they can be economic and non-economic. Economic damages include things like lost wages, medical bills, repair bills, and other expenses that have a financial value. Non-economic losses do not have an immediate financial value, but they can be compensated for nonetheless; they include pain and suffering, depression, PTSD, and other negative emotions caused by the accident. If you want to get compensation, you will need to file a personal injury claim, and if you need to file a personal injury claim, you need a personal injury lawyer. So, hiring a lawyer should be one of the first things you do after an accident. Keep reading to find out the rest, or click for more information here.
What To Do After a Car Accident
After a car accident, you need to take the following steps to ensure your safety and help with the personal injury claim you need to file later.
Call 911
You should check for any injuries to you and any passengers in the vehicle. If you are able, you should then call 911 so they can send an ambulance and the police. The paramedics will take care of any injuries, and the police will cordon off the scene and examine it to find out how the accident happened. They will later write a report of the accident, which can be useful to you later.
Take Pictures or Video of the Scene
If possible, take photos or videos of the accident scene. This is important because it provides a visual record of what happened. Take pictures of the damage done to each vehicle and the surrounding area. You should also take pictures of any visible injuries if possible.
Watch What You Say
You have to be careful not to directly or inadvertently admit fault when speaking to the other driver or the police. Even if you believe that you were responsible for the accident, there could be other circumstances that you don’t know about. Even apologizing could be seen as an admission of guilt, so avoid saying you’re sorry.
Gather Contact Information
You should get the contact and insurance information of the other driver. However, you should also get the contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident so your attorney can contact them later on. Their testimony could be very valuable when preparing your injury claim.
See a Doctor
Even if you were checked out at the scene and you feel fine, you should still have a doctor examine you. They might discover a latent injury that has not yet appeared.
Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
An attorney is invaluable because they can gather additional evidence, obtain the police report, calculate your damages, file your personal injury claim, and so much more. While all the steps are important, this one is arguably the most important because an attorney can help make you whole again after you’ve been injured in an accident.
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