Driving the speed limit, avoiding alcohol before driving and following the rules of the road are the best ways to avoid causing or being involved in a vehicle crash. Sometimes, however, these crashes happen due to no fault of our own. If you were hurt in an incident caused by another driver’s mistake, here’s what you should do:
— Seek medical treatment first and make sure that your health has stabilized before turning your attention to any other task.
— Call the police to the accident scene and don’t leave the crash site.
— Cooperate with authorities and answer their questions — but don’t say you’re sorry for the accident or admit any fault.
— Get the contact information, insurance data and license plate numbers from the people involved in the collision.
— Get the names and contact information of all witnesses to the crash.
— Call your insurance company and tell them you were involved in a collision.
— Take photographs of the crash scene, if possible, including the vehicles, your injuries, surrounding areas and property damage.
— Save your medical records and keep track of the number of days of work you’ve missed as you recover.
— If you’re not satisfied with your insurance company’s damage estimates, get two different damage estimates from repair shops.
— Avoid signing any documents from an insurance company unless you have gone over the information with a qualified legal counselor.
If you or a loved one were seriously injured in an automotive collision, it’s vital that you fully understand your legal rights. A personal injury attorney at our law firm can assist you with understanding your best next steps.