If you have been in a personal injury accident, navigating the effects on your life can be a challenge. In addition to recovering from any injuries that you have suffered you must also deal with the mental impact. The moments right after a sudden car accident, pedestrian accident, or other type of personal injury accident can be disorienting, so it is important to know what to do right away. Doing the right steps immediately can determine how strong your claim is, and it can prevent you from running into issues. Remember the following steps if you ever get into a personal injury accident.
Call For Help
Call 911 and explain to first responders that you have just been in an accident. Stay calm and give them the basic information that they ask for. They may inform you that a police officer may not arrive in time if there are other incidents that they are responding to. You must stay at the accident scene while you wait for them to arrive because leaving the scene of an accident where someone is seriously injured can result in criminal consequences.
Get Medical Attention
As a trusted personal injury lawyer like one at Therman Law Offices, LTD can tell you about, there are many reasons to get medical treatment following an injury. You may not be aware of the full scope of your injuries, and it is important to have documentation that you sought treatment. This will greatly strengthen your case so that it is much more persuasive.
Collect Evidence
As soon as you are able to, collect as much evidence as you can right away. Don’t worry about figuring out what evidence you should keep, because a lawyer can do that task later. Focus on collecting any kind of evidence that you see. This includes photos of the accident scene, photos of your injuries, medical records, witness statements and police reports. Keep all the evidence you find and show them to a personal injury lawyer when they request it.
Contact Your Insurance Company
You must inform your insurance company that you have been injured in an accident. They will tell you the next steps that you must take, so be sure to follow them. Be aware that insurance companies may purposefully be slow in their processing time because they may want you to give up on filing your claim. Always follow up with them if you do not hear from them after several days after first contacting them so that you can make sure they are actually processing your claim. A personal injury lawyer will be able to assist with communicating with the insurance company if you are experiencing issues with them.
Seek Legal Services
It is important to talk to a lawyer immediately so that you can quickly file a claim on time. They will calculate the damages and determine your case value. For more information concerning a personal injury case, seek legal help by scheduling a consultation with a qualified lawyer right away.