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Everyone reads about accidents all the time. But the moment they’re involved in one, they freeze up. A victim of an accident is often confused and hurt and has no idea what to do next. The shock of the accident is what causes this state of disorientation.
As traumatic as an accident can be, the victim must stay strong to tackle what comes next. The days that follow an accident are crucial. The victim needs to tend to their injuries, they need to call work and let them know they won’t be coming in; and, the most important of all, they need to find ways to legally pursue the at-fault party.
The last part is only possible if you consult the best lawyers in your area, like the attorneys at Bohn & Fletcher, LLP. With an attorney by your side, your accident compensation claim will go much smoother.
The role of a lawyer becomes important after an accident. But a lawyer won’t be with you immediately after the accident happens. You have to rely on the knowledge you have about accidents to make the next move. That is what this article is about. Here are 3 important steps that every victim must follow after an accident.
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Contact the Authorities
Authorities here refer to both medical professionals and the police.
Getting medical help after an accident is a step that should never be ignored. Even if your injuries are minor, you should seek medical help. Receiving medical attention has 2 major advantages.
- Uncover hidden injuries: Not all accident injuries are visible. Some injuries, like spinal cord injuries and internal bleeding, don’t show symptoms immediately. Because of this, victims often ignore them. By the time the symptoms appear, the injuries would have gotten much worse. Hidden injuries require prompt attention for the victim to recover quickly.
- Proof of injury and expenses: This is another advantage of seeking medical help. The treatment received for the injury, the medications prescribed by the doctor, and the hospital reports play a vital role in a compensation claim. Reports like these prove the seriousness of the victim’s injuries and the total expenses incurred to treat them.
Contacting the police is essential to getting the accident formally filed. The police officer will draft a report that contains all the facts and findings of their investigation. The police report has information like
- Names of all the parties involved and the witnesses
- Date and time of the accident
- Location of the accident
- Weather conditions at the time of the accident
- Information about injuries/damages of property involved
- Witness statements
- Citations and/or violations of the law
- Opinions about the accident
The police report is an important document that is considered evidence. Obtaining a police report greatly increases the probability of proving the other party’s negligence or malicious thoughts.
Collect Evidence
This step is only applicable if the victim’s injuries aren’t too serious. Immediately after an accident, the victim should start collecting evidence. This evidence gathered will be used to prove liability and calculate damages in a compensation claim.
Evidence here refers to photographs or videos. Victims must capture photographs of all things relevant to the accident. Victims can take pictures of their injuries, the location of the accident, property damage, and identifying information about the at-fault parties and the witnesses.
Hire an Attorney
An attorney is an invaluable resource that accident victims must make use of. With the help of an attorney, the victim can legally pursue the at-fault parties.
The attorney brings in the expertise to successfully punish the at-fault parties. They do this by gathering evidence of their own and analyzing your medical records to prove the severity of the injuries.
Additionally, they’ll make use of expert witnesses to study the photographs captured by the victim and those in the police report. This information will be used to recreate the events that happened at the time of the accident.
Managing insurance adjusters is another advantage of hiring an experienced attorney. They’ll negotiate with insurance adjusters until the victim receives the compensation they deserve.
Conclusion
The immediate moments after an accident can be overwhelming. You may not know what to do and what not to do. In times like this, it is very easy to make mistakes.
Hopefully, this article has taught you the important steps to take after an accident. With the necessary knowledge, you’ll be better equipped when tragedy strikes.
