A car accident can happen to you at any hour of the day or night, and it may change your life forever. Injuries can produce serious consequences that prevent you from working or continuing to have a pleasant lifestyle. Your family’s welfare depends on the actions you take immediately after an accident. The most important thing that you can do is to get medical attention as soon as possible, and it is best if you can see your own doctor. The confusion and shock that you may experience after a traumatic event can cloud your judgment, and that is not the time to decide to “tough it out”.
Taking the Right Steps
You have a right to seek compensation for injuries that you received in a car accident that was not your fault. A personal injury attorney can help you get compensation for your medical bills, damage to your vehicle, lost wages and therapy. You can help yourself too by taking these steps:
• Say Nothing
Talking about your accident with the other driver, passengers or emergency personnel is the wrong thing to do. You can ask witnesses for their name and contact information that may help your lawyers build your case for compensation.
• Take Pictures
Use the camera in your cell phone to take pictures of the accident scene. A picture of the damage to your car and the car that hit you can usually show what happened. A photograph of your injuries, skid marks and weather conditions can provide evidence that is helpful if you file a lawsuit.
• Seek Legal Representation from a Personal Injury Attorney
The insurance company for the at-fault driver may send an adjuster to talk to you about the accident. When you have lawyers working on your case, you can refer any adjuster to them. There is no benefit to you from talking to someone who wants to deny your claim. Adjusters may try to get you to settle quickly, but you are not required to sign or agree to anything. Your legal representation is your safeguard against any effort to take advantage of you.
• Write a Description
Your doctor’s medical diagnosis and description of your condition are probably the most important pieces of documentation that support your claim, but your description is helpful as well. Keep a record of the dates that you went to a hospital or saw a doctor, and include any rehabilitation treatment that you were required to receive. Save any receipts for medications that your doctor prescribed for your pain and suffering.
Car accidents that result from the carelessness or negligence of others can make you suffer the consequences for years to come. Compensation can help you try to recover from your injuries, and taking legal action is the best way to protect your family from financial losses. Many attorneys offer a free consultation to help you figure out what to do, and it costs you nothing to get the benefit of a conference with a legal expert. Protect yourself and your family by getting aggressive legal representation.
