Steps to Take After a Car Accident
Car accidents can be incredibly scary and can create great stress, especially when property damage and personal injuries are involved. In 2019, the cost of all motor-vehicle crashes resulted in $11,880,000 in injuries and property damage. If you were not at fault for your car crash, then you deserve a settlement. After you’ve been in a bad car accident, you should begin collecting information about your damages. This way, your Bronx car accident lawyer can help you obtain the correct settlement amount to compensate you for your losses. Here are steps you can take to get started.
Call 911
Make sure the police are on their way to your scene so they can document the car accident. They will ask both you and the other driver what happened. Be completely honest and let them know how you got into the accident and avoid admitting to any fault. If the police notice anything off about the other driver, they may administer a breathalyzer test. Your attorney can later request the police report as supplementary evidence for your settlement.
Gather Contact Information
You should immediately gather contact information and their insurance policy number from the other driver. If multiple drivers were involved in the crash, get all of their information as well. Witnesses who observed the car wreck can also be helpful, and you can ask for their information so that your attorney can later contact them.
Take Pictures to Build Evidence
Photograph your car from front to back to show the amount of damage that it has sustained. The images of your car crash are considered to be physical evidence because they accurately show how bad the accident was and the location where it happened. They can also help show how the accident occurred and what direction cars were headed in based on the positioning in the images. You can also take pictures of your wounds. If you have gashes, bruises, and other injuries, a picture of these can show how severe your personal injury was.
Get Medical Help
Even if you only have a few scratches and bruises after the car crash, you should still get checked out. This is because you may have suffered soft tissue injuries, hairline fractures, and other wounds you didn’t notice. Your doctor will help identify any hidden injuries with an examination and imaging scans. The medical bills and any additional treatment over time can be included in your settlement.
Call Your Insurance Company
Your insurance company should be updated on even the most minor accidents. Telling them what happened will update the notes on your account. They may even be able to help cover most of the property damage and some of your medical bills. However, if the other party’s insurance company calls you, do not accept a settlement. Car accidents require compensation to cover the damages and settlements that are too small are hardly helpful.
Calculate Time Off
You may have severe injuries that prevent you from working. Because of this, you will have to take time off from work so you can recover from your damages. This can extend over weeks or months. You can ask your employer how much income you will lose if you have to miss work due to your injuries and even have them write a letter. The amount of wage loss you will experience presently and in the future can be included in your compensation, using the letter as additional evidence.
Write Down Your Pain and Suffering
While you are recovering and healing from your injuries, you may feel helpless because you cannot perform ordinary tasks. Other feelings common to victims of personal injury are depression, PTSD, anxiety, and grief. You may also be struggling with soreness, fatigue, discomfort, constant pain, and worse. When this happens, you should write down what you are experiencing. Your attorney will include pain and suffering in your settlement and calculate it using a multiplier that is estimated based upon the severity of your wounds.
Speak With Your Attorney
Call your car accident lawyer and let them know what happened. You can explain your side of the story and schedule an initial consultation with them. During this meeting, they will tell you what your chances are of being compensated, and if you are not at fault, they may take your case. They will also inform you how to handle settlement offers that are far too small and avoid common mistakes many settlement claimants make. Your attorney will combine economic and non-economic damages and begin the process of negotiating a settlement amount that covers both sides of the cost.
What Are The Next Steps With Your Attorney?
Working with a car accident attorney can vastly improve your chances of receiving the compensation you deserve. Every state also has a statute of limitations, which means that you can’t wait past the deadline to file your personal injury claim. While your insurance company may be able to help by providing policy coverage, severe car accidents are often far more costly. You may have to obtain a settlement to fully cover the damages you experienced. Attorneys not only perform all the legwork of reaching out to the other parties, their insurance companies, and witnesses, they also will represent your case in the best light.
If the other party refuses to settle, you can alternatively sue the other party and take your case to court to petition for a lawsuit. If you want professional representation before the judge, you can work with a car accident attorney who has your back. Your attorney will support you throughout this difficult time and provide reliable advice. Meanwhile, you can heal from your injuries and focus on recovering.