What to Do After a Car Accident
Accidents happen. With millions of drivers on the roads each day, accidents are inevitable and occur more frequently than we would like. One minute you are driving to work or running errands, and the next, you are dealing with smashed bumpers, cracked windshields, or worse.
What steps should you take after a car accident? Knowing how to navigate post-accident procedures can literally save your life. If you’ve been in a car accident, promptly contact an Indianapolis car accident attorney for immediate legal support and guidance.
Immediate Actions to Take After the Crash
The chaotic and disorienting moments immediately following a car accident require a swift response. You can take several critical steps to ensure the safety of yourself and others and document the incident properly.
Ensure Your Safety
Ensure the safety of all individuals involved.
- Move your car out of the traffic flow to a safe location if possible—ideally to the side of the road.
- Turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers about the accident—and avoid escalating the accident further.
- Check on the condition of other drivers or pedestrians involved in the accident. If there are any injuries, immediately call for medical assistance.
- Do not move anyone with severe injuries; attempting to do so may exacerbate their injuries.
Seek Medical Attention
Even after ensuring immediate safety, the next crucial step after a car accident is to seek medical attention. You might feel fine or consider your injuries minor, but you should never self-diagnose after an accident. Some injuries might not immediately appear and could worsen if a doctor does not check you over.
Some car accident injuries, such as whiplash, concussions, traumatic brain injuries, soft tissue injuries, or internal bleeding, may not show immediate symptoms. You may only start experiencing pain or discomfort hours, days, or weeks later. A thorough medical examination immediately after an accident can help diagnose and treat these stealthy injuries.
The Importance of Documenting Medical Treatments and Expenses
While ensuring your well-being is essential, you should seek immediate medical attention to document your medical treatments and expenses. Keep an accurate record of all your medical visits, prescriptions, treatments, therapies, and other related costs. You need this documentation if you file a personal injury claim or your insurance company disputes your claim.
Report the Accident
While it might not feel like the most pressing issue immediately following an accident, accurately report the incident through the appropriate channels. Reporting the incident involves contacting local law enforcement and your insurance company as promptly as possible.
Reporting to Law Enforcement
Most jurisdictions legally require you to report any car accident that results in injury, death, or significant property damage. Even in minor accidents, having a police report can be invaluable when dealing with your insurance company or taking legal action. The police will document the scene, take statements from the involved parties and bystanders, and can even help establish who was at fault.
Reporting to Your Insurance Company
After you report the accident to the police, your next call should be to your insurance company. Even if you believe the other driver was at fault, you must notify your insurer promptly. Remember that a delay in reporting could result in your insurance company denying your claim.
Importance of Accurate and Timely Reporting
Accuracy and timeliness in reporting a car accident are crucial. You must be honest and provide as much information as possible about the incident to local law enforcement and your insurance company. A legal case can bring forth your words or actions after an accident, so let your lawyer ensure the accuracy of all communications.
Have an Experienced Car Accident Attorney Document the Accident
After ensuring your safety, seeking medical attention, and reporting the accident, you should contact an experienced car accident attorney to help document the incident and preserve the evidence.
Importance of Gathering Evidence
When you have a skilled car accident attorney working on your behalf, they can readily gather and preserve all essential evidence immediately. You need evidence in a car accident claim. Having the necessary evidence supporting your claim can set the record straight about the events leading to the car accident, who was at fault, and what effects the accident had on those involved.
Your experienced attorney will often gather photos as evidence of the car accident.
The photographic evidence will include various components of the accident, such as:
- The accident scene.
- Any vehicle damage.
- Visible injuries to the parties.
- The road conditions, including any traffic signs or signals nearby.
Your attorney can identify and collect more complex forms of evidence, such as black box data from vehicles, surveillance camera footage, or expert testimonies.
Take Legal Action
An experienced attorney can determine the facts of your case and help you understand what legal actions are available to you. You should know your legal options if another driver is at fault or you suffer significant injuries or property damage from the accident.
Understanding Your Legal Rights
Understanding your rights after a car accident is crucial. You have the right to receive fair compensation for your injuries and losses. An experienced car accident attorney can explain your rights in detail and guide you through every step of the legal process.
They can also fight for the economic and non-economic damages you deserve, including:
- Medical bills.
- Loss of income.
- Property damages.
- Ongoing medical treatments.
- Pain and suffering.
- Loss of companionship.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney Today and Fight for the Justice You Deserve
Dealing with the aftermath of a car accident can be stressful and confusing. An experienced car accident attorney working on your behalf can make all the difference. These legal professionals can handle the intricate legal aspects of your case, allowing you to focus on your recovery while they go after maximum compensation for your damages.
Do not wait any longer to get the legal help you need. Contact a skilled car accident lawyer today to review your case for free.