5 Steps: What to Do After a Car Accident Injury
More than 2.5 million people get injured in car accidents every year.
Most of these injuries are severe and may require expensive medical treatments.
Sadly, most insurance providers offer minimal settlements that don’t cover the full expenses resulting from car accidents. One of the major reasons why most people don’t get adequate compensation is the lack of knowledge of the legal processes required.
If you have a similar problem, here’s what to do after a car accident injury.
1. Seek Medical Attention
If you’ve been involved in an accident, check for any injuries and notify your doctor as soon as possible. Your doctor will determine the severity of your injuries.
At times, the injuries from an accident don’t show up immediately, and failure to get medical attention may result in further complications.
If you’re considering making an injury claim, don’t wait too long to see the doctor.
2. Protect Evidence at the Scene
To get compensation for injuries resulting from the accident, you’ll have to prove you were actually hurt during the accident. This means you should document everything to help you win the claim.
As soon as you’re able to, start taking photos of the accident site. Focus on the vehicles involved, people involved, and conditions that may have contributed to the accident.
The photos of your injuries should show how they have affected your life afterward. This will be valuable to your attorney when filing for compensation. Additionally, remember to keep copies of your medical expenses as evidence of your injuries after a car accident.
3. Consider Contacting Your Insurer
You should contact your insurance company as soon as you can. Most insurers have policies regarding the period of time taken before they were contacted. If you fail to adhere to the time frame, your claim will be refuted.
On the other hand, if you’re contacted by the other party’s insurance company, you shouldn’t make any statements or accept any form of payment until you contact your attorney.
Ensure you’ve been fully evaluated by your doctor before signing any release of claims. Wait until all your injuries manifest to make a formal claim.
4. File a Police Report
If you’ve suffered significant physical injuries, you should call the police. The period for filing police reports vary from state to state. However, most police departments give a limit of 72 hours.
A police report will be valuable if you decide to file a claim with your insurers. You should ask for a police report to be filed and, if possible, obtain the responding officer’s badge.
5. Call Your Attorney
Dealing with insurers may be a daunting task since they’ll need proof of your injury from the accident. Insurance companies need evidence before engaging in any form of claim settlement negotiations.
Contacting an experienced attorney eases the burden of engaging in the process of fact-finding, collecting necessary documentation, and creating concise and detailed demands for claim settlement.
Call your lawyer early enough to give them time to build a case if/when it’s needed.
Seek Legal Help on What to Do After a Car Accident Injury
Now that you know what to do after a car accident injury, consider getting professional help from experienced personal injury attorneys. At The Bruning Law Firm, we have over 35 years’ experience in recovering millions in compensation for our treasured clients.
If you need a personal injury attorney in St. Louis, feel free to contact us.