Buying a car comes with a long list of things that one needs to take care of. This can include regular maintenance, getting good car insurance, driving safely, etc. Another of these things is knowing about the after accident procedures that one should follow legally. Having a good idea of this will ensure that one is not exploited by the system and that one can get justice if they have been wronged or have faced some losses due to the fault of another party.
Below is a comprehensive list of things that one should do after a car accident so that one can get legal help and justice:
1. Get a car accident attorney
Before deciding on the kind of settlements one would be accepting and the kind of claims one would bemaking to the insurance company, it is a good idea to get in touch with an experienced attorney who specialises in car accidents related cases. He can tell one about the basic course of actions that one can take after such an accident and the pros and cons of the same.
This can help one in making an informed decision with regards to what they should go with and help them in making sound legal decisions that can help them in escaping legal troubles. To find experienced car accident attorneys in west Palm Beach one can click here.
If one does not have an attorney up front then one might be likely to get fooled by the insurance companies. For example there can be times when the insurance company one has applied to might offer a lesser value of compensation or settlement that is much lesser than the amount one should be entitled to. A person who does not have an attorney might except such a low offer and once such an offer is accepted the person cannot change and will lose out on a chance to get sufficient settlement amount that can cover the cost of any damage one might have faced due to the accident.
Having an attorney in such a case will ensure that one is getting the right amount of compensation or settlement money that one should be rightly and entitled to based on the damages faced due to the accident. The attorney negotiates with the other party and if the case is still not solved, they can approach the court to put forth one’s case and claim.
2. Call the emergency contact/s
As soon as an accident happens it is important to call the emergency contacts of one’s area. If one has faced injuries either internal or external then one should call an ambulance. Besides this it is very important to call the police on the accident site so that the accident can be reported and put into the records. Having a written record of the accident by official authorities will make it easier for one to ask for claims with regards to the accident.
3. Get oneself checked
If someone gets into a car accident it is very important to get one self checked by medical professionals especially if the impact of the accident was major. Although sometimes the injuries might seem minor, people might still have internal injuries or bleeding that might not be not visible for the time being. This is why it becomes very important to get a medical checkup.
One can get checked either by the paramedics who arrive at the location of the accident. One should make sure that while they are getting checked by the paramedics they should make sure that all the injuries they have faced are being taken note of and being documented. Later it becomes very important to visit a doctor who can do a proper check up with various equipments and can give one a detailed report of all the injuries faced and how those injuries may have been caused due to the car accident.
After getting a full body checkup it is important to get the recommended treatment for all the injuries faced and keep a record of all the expenses that one might have made.
4. Collect evidence
For a claim case to be successful, it is very important to have enough evidence to show all the damages that one might have faced due to the fault of the other party. The evidence can prove to be very useful in cases where both the parties ask for claims. Hence, it is important to collect sufficient evidence.
Evidences can include certain things like details of the witnesses who were present at the accident site including their contact time information, pictures of the site of accident, images of damage caused to the car, images of the injuries caused, a record of the location andtime of the accidentand one’s own anecdote of the happenings of the accident. Having such a document will not only serve the purpose of an evidence but will also help one in recalling the details of how the accident occurred.
5. One should not accept fault
It is critical not to admit fault after an accident. Even if the accident was caused by someone else, it’s common for accident victims to apologise to those involved.
Even when a driver believes the accident was his or her fault, the evidence might show that there were other factors to blame. To avoid inadvertently admitting responsibility for the crash, one’s attorney might advise being extremely cautious when speaking with police and other parties involved. Any evidence that points to one being at fault could be used by attorneys against them and jeopardise their ability and chances to recover damages later.
Conclusion
In conclusion it can be said that getting an attorney is one of the safest things that one can do to ensure that one gets what one rightly deserves while also not being exploited themselves. Getting the right medical care and treatment is also important. One should also make sure that the records of the injuries and the accident are kept with the professionals. When should also make sure that they have enough evidence of damage caused to rightfully make a claim for a higher settlement.
