Car accidents come with a price! From serious injuries to a loss of life, it can have a terrible impact on one’s life. It is unfortunate, but god forbid if you or your loved one gets in an accident, here is the lawyer’s advice for you that you must not forget and take appropriate measures for the same.
Read below the 8 Essential Car Accident Help Tips that You Must Not Forget
- Do not leave the scene:
When you get into the car accident, do not leave the scene immediately. Stay there, call the police, your insurance agent, and the paramedics. Do not forget to click photographs of the scene as quickly as possible. If you are seriously injured, then before doing anything else, get the medical attention quickly. Call for a lawyer, as in your absence, he can assess the accident, and take the necessary measures to file for the police report and other formalities. - Do not admit to the fault:
In any case, do not admit to the fault. To determine fault in an accident is often confusing, and one may commit to a fault which was never there’s. You must get the opinion of your insurance agent and the lawyer before you take the liability. An accident is always complex to determine the fault. Do not immediately conform to the fault without seeking legal advice. - The first step is to get medical attention:
Take medical attention firstly, and the rest of the formalities one can do later. Do not ignore this as nothing is more important than one’s life. You may not see the physical injury, but there may be bruising inside or a concussion that you must get checked by a doctor. - File the Police Report:
To get the insurance claim, or fight the case if necessary, a police report is necessary. Unless you get the police report, your insurance company will not give you the claim whatsoever. So it is necessary that you file for one when you get into an accident. - Get on the phone with Your Insurance Company:
It is best if your insurance agent is present on the site of the accident. When your car gets hit, dial up the number of your insurance agent and inform him about the situation. If he can come to the site that would play a great role in your favor, but in any case, do not forget to click the photographs of the accident site. Photos are evidence that can help you get the claim quickly. Also, in case the other party sues you, the photographs will help in the judge to make the fair judgment. - Get legal advice before you sign on any document:
Never sign a document that is given by the other party’s insurance agent. It can play in your negative favor. When you file for a police report, make sure that you read what is written in the report, and if the statement is not how it should be, call up the lawyer before you accept the statement. The insurance company will only give you the claim after assessing the liability in the accident and other factors. The statement by the police is a piece of strong evidence but is not the ultimate basis to decide the fault.
If your case goes in the court, your accident attorney can help settle the case in your favor after studying the situation. In case you need severe medical attention where you are on bed rest, losing working hours, or a job, an attorney can also help in getting compensation as well. - Keep all receipts, medical bills, and record copies with you:
In case you decide to make a claim from the opposite party, the lawyer will require all receipts of accidental repair, your medical bill, the record of the time you took off from your work that the employer will provide, the police report, and anything that relates to the accident.
Also, it is a good habit to keep receipts and records and maintain a file for it. The medical bills can be used for future reference as well by your doctor to analyze complications if there may be. Make it a habit to not throw or lose important receipts, bills, and hard copies of documents that may be necessary for reference in the future. - Cooperate!
Please do not lose your cool and always cooperate when talking with insurance agents, police, and witnesses around. Patience will help get things settled quickly, and if you don’t want any more problems, you must cooperate.
People often lose their control and become aggressive at the site of an accident. Do know that the other person can press charges against you for harassment or verbal abuse. You wouldn’t want to add fuel to the fire, would you? Stay cool and deal with the situation calmly.
Is it necessary to hire a lawyer for a car accident?
To put it out bluntly, then the answer is yes! It highly depends on the seriousness of the accident and the loss incurred. Getting the help of an accident attorney can help you in a lot many ways. He can make negotiations with your insurance company, do the paperwork for you while you are getting the medical treatment, talk in your absence with the judge, help get compensation for the loss incurred, and much more.
Often, insurance companies try to trick their clients by giving less claim or no claim at all. If something like this is happening with you, calling up the lawyer will be a wise decision. He will get the insurance company to do the needful quickly so that you get your claim in time.
Lawyers have connections, and they know well how to make insurance companies do their duties lawfully. If the insurance provider rejects your claim, or if you got some percent instead of full claim, do not panic. A lawyer will do all that is necessary to help you get what is in your rights.
These blogs are meant purely for educational purposes. They contain only general information about legal matters. They are not legal advice, and should not be treated as such. If you have any specific questions about any legal matter you should consult with an attorney.