How can you know what to do after a car accident? it is really scary to get involved in a car accident. So how can you think rationally? It does not matter whether the accident is just minor or major but the point is awareness always matters. Whenever we start our cars, we hope that nothing will go wrong while we are on the road. So it is important that we abide by the traffic laws and regulations at all times. In this way, you’ll minimize the chances of road accidents taking place. However, there are instances wherein no matter how careful we are, accidents happen because of others’ carelessness. One thing that we usually hear when there is a car accident is insurance. The process seems very simple but if things do not go our way, more complex scenarios might happen. But before anything else, the big question lies in how you should act upfront when you experience a car accident. Any car accident is disruptive. Not only does it disrupt the victim’s day, but it can do lasting damage when a victim suffers a serious injury. Consulting an experienced car accident lawyer is almost always in your best interest. When someone is involved in a car accident, the steps they take following a car accident can impact how they are compensated for their injuries. The basic steps to take are:
- Get to safety and contact law enforcement
- Seek medical attention
- Follow doctor’s recommendations
Get to Safety and Contact Law Enforcement
Depending on where the accident occurred, it is important to be certain the vehicles involved are out of the line of traffic and if it is safe to do so. Fortunately, today’s technological advances have made it more likely that law enforcement in the jurisdiction where the accident occurred will be notified immediately. While this information may appear to be common sense, there are cases where drivers and passengers involved in collisions suffered additional injuries or lost their life when struck by another vehicle in the roadway.Seek Medical Attention After an Accident
Some accident victims believe that medical attention is unnecessary because they feel fine after an accident. Never refuse to be seen by a medical professional after an accident. Many people do not realize that it is common for our bodies to be flooded with adrenaline following an accident. This flood of adrenaline can mask signs of injury.Follow Doctors Recommendations
Even if a car accident victim feels better within a few days of an accident, they should be following all recommendations they received from their healthcare team. Failure to follow instructions can cause additional harm and jeopardize future insurance claims. Keep track of changes that occur in the days following a car accident. This means keeping track of increased pain levels, mood changes, and other unusual occurrences. This could be important when seeing a physician for follow-up care.Reporting a Car Accident
Reporting requirements vary across states. Anyone involved in a roadway accident should contact their insurance company immediately. They should also find out if they need to file a report with their motor vehicle department. In some states, the accident must be reported immediately, while others allow the accident to be reported within six months under certain circumstances. No one involved in an accident should assume the other parties involved will take care of these reports.Seek Legal Advice After a Car Accident
One of the most important things a car accident victim should do after suffering an injury is to contact an attorney. Here’s why they should take this important step:- Accidents are complicated. the more complicated an accident, the more likely they may need an attorney. Even when it appears that the other party was at fault for the collision, there will still be many issues that may require legal review.
- Someone to serve as an advocate. accident victims should focus their time on recovering from their injuries. Since nearly all accidents will involve two insurance companies (the at-fault drivers and the victims), there will be multiple pages of documents, telephone calls, and negotiations that must take place. An attorney can handle these issues on behalf of a victim.
- Understanding of insurance rules. while nearly every driver is mandated to have insurance when registering their vehicle, the insurance rules vary widely from state to state. When working with a car accident lawyer, they will know local insurance requirements.
Car Accidents Occur Frequently on Roadways
More than 225 million owners drive more than 250 million registered vehicles in the United States. Across the U.S. in one recent year, there were more than 3,400,000 vehicle crashes which resulted in 4,800,000 injuries. We should never lose sight of the fact that each number represents a person. These are not merely statistics. They are lives. Accidents occur on all types of roadways in all types of weather conditions. Accidents can occur due to many factors, including impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding or reckless driving, road conditions, and mechanical defects. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates one person every 45 minutes loses their life in an impaired driving accident. Car accident victims need to demonstrate the elements of a personal injury case which are:- The driver owed the victim a duty of care
- The driver violated their duty of care
- The victim suffered an injury due to the violation of the duty of care
- The victim suffered a financial loss due to the injury
Insurance Claims and Car Accidents
Nearly every state requires a driver to carry a minimum amount of auto insurance or requires drivers to demonstrate some form of financial responsibility. Minimum coverage requirements for bodily injury range from $10,000 to $50,000. This is the amount the insurer provides to the driver for liability coverage in return for paying premiums. The problem with this is some victims’ losses exceed these amounts. Someone who suffers a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is facing a lifetime of uncertainty. The damage done to them due to a negligent driver can mean they spend the rest of their lives dependent upon others for care. Costs can greatly exceed the insurance limits. This is why discussing an individual case with a car accident attorney can be helpful. No two accidents are the same. When filing an insurance claim for the financial losses a victim suffers, they should consider:- Cost of treatment of injury. the cost of treatment following an injury after a car accident will depend on the extent of the injury and whether a victim requires hospitalization, at-home care, and rehabilitation. A negligent driver should not put a victim’s financial future in jeopardy.
- Amount of time lost from work. being out of work can cause harm to a worker’s career. When someone is recovering from a car accident, they may only be out of work for a week or two unless they are seriously injured. Sometimes, it could be months before someone can return to full employment. A victim should be compensated for the financial losses from being out of work.
- Property damage. damaged vehicles and property in the car, including computers, phones, and GPS systems, may all have damage. These items will require replacement or repairs, which should not fall to the victim.
How Car Accident Lawyers Help Victims?
One of the most common questions people ask after being told they should seek legal advice after a car accident is why. They want to know why they cannot file a claim on their own and move forward without getting an attorney involved. The top five ways having an attorney benefits a car accident victim are:- Car accident attorneys know how to work with insurance adjusters.
- Car accident lawyers understand state personal injury statutes.
- The right personal attorney works on behalf of victims, not insurers.
- An accident injury lawyer can help with accident investigations when needed.
- When victims hire a lawyer, they will know that someone has their best interests in mind.
Dealing With Insurance Adjusters After Car Accidents
One of the many reasons that a car accident victim can benefit from working with an accident injury attorney is dealing with insurance companies. The claims process can be complicated, especially when a victim has suffered an injury that requires long-term care or treatment. Let’s keep sight of the fact that these injuries damage your future prospects and can potentially cause serious financial damage to a family. Insurance adjusters are assigned to a claim as soon as the claim is filed. In most cases, this means that, at a minimum, a victim will likely hear from two different adjusters. One adjuster will handle medical claims, while the other will handle property damage claims. The flood of paper arriving after filing a claim can overwhelm you. While you may feel tempted to sign forms and get them returned in the hopes of getting a fast settlement, don’t do this unless you consult a lawyer. Some of the forms may include:- Medical release forms. When an insurer sends a medical release form, seldom will it restrict access to merely the treatment a victim has received for the injury suffered in a car accident. Instead, the insurance company will attempt to seek information that may help them minimize a claim. For example, a victim who had treatment for a back injury in the past may have suffered a new injury in their back in a car accident. However, the insurance company will try to reduce the settlement amount due to the victim’s prior medical history.
- Release for employment records. This form may be included for an insurer to not only verify the income a victim has claimed to lose due to their injury. However, this form may also ask the employer to provide information on days missed due to injury or illness. This form can provide the insurer with grounds to reduce the amount of a final settlement offer.
- Release of claims form. An insurer who believes their client may not be at fault for the accident in which a victim suffered an injury may include a release form for the victim to sign. This may occur in complex cases where multiple people are potentially partially liable. An example of this would be an accident involving a tractor-trailer or a LYFT/UBER vehicle.
