You wouldn’t believe just how often vehicle accidents happen on a daily basis. In one developed country such as the United States alone are several thousand accidents a day. The idea we are constantly exposed to the chances of getting into a car crash is quite scary. But, without cars, we are very limited. For most people car transportation has a huge impact on their livelihood. So, instead of completely giving up on such transportation, it is best to understand what you will need to do after you get in such an accident.
It is especially important to understand what you should do after getting an injury during a vehicle or collision. In fact, injuries after a car crash are actually much more common than you would think. Of course, sometimes they are minor, sometimes smiled and sometimes very severe.
But, when you find yourself in such a situation, it doesn’t matter which type of injuries you have suffered. What matters is that you take the right steps to help yourself protect your interests. You will and you can do certain things to ensure that you protect your health and your wallet. To help you with that, here are some of the things you should do.
Contents
1. Ensure that everyone is safe
Source: AdobeStock
One of the first things you will need to do after you have started to recollect yourself is to ensure that every single party of the accident is safe. Determine the severity of their injuries and whether you should go to the hospital immediately or whether you should wait for the police. Because naturally, in this kind of situation, our health is the most important.
So, check the other driver and his or her passengers and check your passengers too. But once you have determined that everyone is fine and safe, you can continue with the next steps.
2. Hazard lights and handbrake
Source: Dale R. Rose
Most collisions usually happen on intersections or in the middle-of-the-road. This means that there are other cars on the road and you will need to do something to inform them about your situation and to help them stay safe. The best way to do this is interesting by putting on the hazard lights and pulling on the handbrake. You want to make sure that the car won’t move and go in front of active traffic. You should also suggest to the other driver to do the same thing.
By doing this, the scene of the accident is now protected. For a little bit of extra protection, I would recommend putting up a warning triangle at least 80 to 100 feet away from your vehicle. This way the active traffic will have a lot more time to react and get out of the way.
3. Call the police
Source: thebalance
Once the scene of the crime is secured, your next step is to call the police. Keep in mind, if you ever feel lightheaded or that something is wrong with your body during the event, I would suggest that you skip all of this and just call an ambulance or have someone drive you to the hospital.
The police will write a report which can be used to prove your innocence in the car crash. An official report by the police will hold a lot more weight in court or for insurance companies. If you have any injuries, make sure you mentioned them to the police officer.
4. Call a lawyer
Source: Fiveprime
If for some reason you cannot come to an agreement with the person that was the sole cause of the accident, you will probably need to call your lawyer. Proving your innocence in this kind of situation is never easy, but you should do everything in your power to achieve that. This is especially important if you have experienced some kind of injury.
Believe me, you wouldn’t want to be the one that pays the bills for injuries that you have acquired during a car crash. The medical bills for dealing with head, neck, back, or spinal cord injuries will be very expensive and according to Martin & Helms, P.C. they are also the most common types of injuries during motor accidents.
This is why you have to deal with this kind of situation with the help of a lawyer. The experience they have with this type of cases will pay off, trust me.
5. Take pictures
Source: moneywise
Another thing you should do before moving your cars is to take pictures of the scene. Do not let the other driver move his vehicle because you will want the pictures to be as close as the real thing. The images that you take can later be used by the police to properly analyze the scene or can be used in court, so you’re a lawyer can explain why you are not the driver at fault.
6. Go to the hospital
Source: El Paso Back Clinic
Once all that is done, the next thing you will have to do is get to the hospital. I know, it might seem like there isn’t any serious damage done to your body except some small cuts or bruises, but there may be internal damage that is not obvious to the naked eye. You will want a medical professional to analyze the damage and to determine that are healthy.
It is also helpful to have a medical report that will prove your injuries come from the car accident. This file that you will acquire can later be used by your lawyer when a higher compensation from the insurance company.
Like I already said, the most important thing is to make sure that you are okay, that your passengers are healthy and safe and that the passengers in the other car that was part of the accident are safe too. Our health is irreplaceable and we should not ignore any injury that might prove serious in the long run.
And by following all of the steps I mentioned above, you won’t have to worry about having any trouble when proving your innocence in this situation.
