The way things go down after an auto accident may not be in your best interest. You could be injured, your car totaled, and you are not at fault. How do you protect your legal accident case to ensure you get the best outcome to cover medical, auto repair, and other bills?
“Victims of speeding accidents may face injuries such as paralysis, head, neck and spine trauma, brain injuries, broken bones, fractures, severe bruising, torn ligaments, and emotional distress,” Louisville speeding accident lawyer explained. “These injuries can mean the need for ongoing medical attention and treatment from specialists, missed time at work, and lost time with friends and family.”
Accidents are definitely a financial burden, especially when you did not cause the accident in the first place. In fact, even your insurance rates can go up, fault or not. However, there is good news, since many legal protection tips do exist. Let’s take a deeper look at how to get what you need and deserve after an auto accident.
- Always Call Emergency Responders (Police)
One of the most important ways to protect you and ensure legal accident case success is to call emergency responders after an accident. Even if you feel fine and it was just a little fender bender — call the police. This is vital!
“If the police aren’t involved, it will be your word against another driver’s word: which can come back to bite you,” Emily Delbridge of The Balance said. “If you don’t file a police report, the chances are pretty good that the other driver may try to come after you for medical problems or physical damage to their vehicle or property that you didn’t cause.”
Why is this so important? The police are necessary for a few reasons. The first is the documentation that you can use in a court case. The officer on the scene can also be called into court to answer questions about the case, which is excellent if you are clearly not at fault, for instance rear end accidents.
The official police report also helps clear up any issues with insurance agents down the road as well. This can save your insurance rates and also help you get the money owed for your car replacement or repairs.
- Be Your Own Accident Advocate
There are a few very important actions to take when at the scene of your auto accident. First, never admit doing anything. In fact, don’t talk about the accident at all with the other driver, because you don’t know whom they are or what they will bring up later.
Simply keep a cool head, stay calm, and collect information, such as witness names, phone numbers, and emails, the other driver’s insurance information and car information, and make notes of what happened before your memory gets hazy.
Second, take tons of pictures. Pull out your phone and get as many pictures of the accident as possible. Get images from different angles, skid marks, damage to your vehicle, and damage to the other vehicle. Even take video if possible. These visual images and video can be very helpful in protecting your legal case.
- Get A Professional Car Accident Lawyer
There are a lot of things that can happen after a car accident. For example, the other driver may sue you, even if you are not the one who caused the accident. To protect your legal accident case, hire a professional car accident lawyer.
Lawyers with specific knowledge of car accidents can take care of all the nonsense that may arise from the other driver, the driver’s lawyer, insurance agents, car manufacturers, repair shops, and so much more. If you don’t have a lawyer, you may be dealing with all this on your own, and possibly from a hospital bed if you were seriously injured.
Lawyers know the ins and outs of auto accident law and ensure you get the fairest treatment and the best possible outcome for your legal case. Share with your lawyer all your pictures, video, information, and memories of the accident as well.
- Always See A Doctor After An Accident
Just like in the case of calling emergency responders to the scene of a auto accident, go see a doctor after, or even take the ride in the ambulance from the accident scene. Why? What if I am not injured? Go anyway, because you may not even know you are injured.
In many auto accidents, you may not feel an injury until the next day. Another reason to see a doctor is to get more documentation of the accident form credible professionals. This is a very important way to protect your legal accident case, as well as your physical and mental health.
Ensure You Are Protected After An Auto Accident
The above are essential ways to stay protected immediately after an accident, and after. From being your own on-scene advocate to talking to a lawyer, you need to protect yourself and get the outcome you need and deserve after a car accident.
