What You Should Do After a Serious Car Accident

If you are in a car accident, the first thing you should always do is make sure that you and your passengers are safe. If the accident is serious, make sure that you personally are safe before checking on passengers, and do not move any victims if you are unsure if they have sustained head, neck, or back injuries.

If you are able to move around following a car accident, follow each of these steps. If you are unable to move and require immediate and serious medical attention, you will need to backtrack once you are stable and recovering and begin to gather documentation and build your case for a personal injury lawsuit.

If you have suffered from a severe car accident and need an experienced personal injury attorney in Winter Park, contact us today to schedule an initial consultation. We will fight to ensure that you get the damages you rightfully deserve, so that you can focus on recovering and getting your life back on track. Take a look at the steps below on what to do following a car accident, and contact us to take the next step.

Do Not Leave The Scene

Even if you do not think that there was any damage done to you, your vehicle, the other driver, or their vehicle, it is extremely important that you stop and verify, and exchange insurance information. Otherwise, you can be charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident.

Get Yourself To Safety

Without leaving the scene, make sure that you and your passengers are moved to safety if possible. This means get out of the road, away from the vehicle, and to a safe area on a sidewalk, breakdown lane, or median strip. If you are unable to walk, the first responders will be working as quickly as possible to get you to safety.

Contact the Police

If you are able to, contact the police immediately. If you are unable to because of your injuries, you can expect that passersby will call 911, and the authorities will be on their way. Establishing contact with police is an important step for a personal injury case, because it establishes the facts about the incident.

Seek Medical Attention

If you are injured to any extent, it is important that you get medical attention as soon as possible. If your injuries are serious, this means taking an ambulance to an emergency room for emergency treatment. Even if your injuries do not require you to take an ambulance, it is still important that you establish a record with your doctor for your injuries in case they have onset issues that will qualify for a personal injury lawsuit.

NEVER Admit Responsibility

Even though it seems like the “right” thing to do if you believe you were at fault, your insurance company requires you to not admit fault for the accident, or they will likely not cover you. Limit the extent of your conversation with anyone until you have spoken with your insurance company and/or a legal representative to be sure that you follow the procedure properly.

Gather The Facts

Be sure to get a copy of the police report, any eyewitness accounts, and any other relevant details to your accident that will establish the narrative of what happened, how it happened, and all other information that will be required for an insurance claim or a personal injury settlement. If you were incapacitated during the injury, you will need to gather the information after the fact, or have a family member do so for you.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Contact your insurance company as soon as possible to let them know what happened, and how they suggest you to proceed. They will likely be contacted by the other driver’s insurance company, and it is important that you are able to give them your own account of the situation, and to hear how they want you to move forward with any documentation or legal procedures.

Contact A Personal Injury Attorney

Finally, contact a personal injury attorney like the team at Abercrombie, P.A. in order to determine your rights for filing a personal injury lawsuit in South Florida. Schedule an initial consultation with us today to begin working towards recovering the damages you are rightfully owed if your injuries were the result of another’s actions.