What Steps Do I Need to Take After My Car Accident?

If you have had a vehicle collision, you may be too confused to take the right steps to protect your legal rights. However, you need to do the following if you plan to file a lawsuit against the responsible party that caused the crash.

Contact the police

If you are physically able to move around, you should call the police and report the collision. During the call, you should include relevant details like the location where the crash occurred and the injuries you sustained. The law enforcement officials will arrive with emergency responders to assist you. In addition, the police will also give you a copy of the accident report, which will act as evidence in your case.

Seek medical help

Sometimes, the injuries the victims have sustained may not be noticeable immediately after the crash, and it may take days for the symptoms to appear. Therefore, you should get checked by medical professionals to establish whether you sustained any internal injuries. When you seek medical help, you will not only protect your health but also create evidence like medical records to show your injuries were caused by the crash and not from previous incidents. The medical records can also be used to calculate the medical expenses you incurred, and the settlement amount you deserve.

Take pics of the scene

You can take pics of the wrecked vehicles from different angles to show the damage they sustained following the collision. Additionally, you should snap pictures of the other vehicle’s license plate, the condition of the road, and the scene of the crash. Moreover, you can get a copy of the crash report to use as evidence when filing a case against the liable party.

Exchange information with the other parties

You can collect contact information from the other driver like their name and their insurance company. You can also collect information like the color, type, and model of their vehicle. In addition, you should write down the names and addresses of the other parties that were involved in the collision, such as the witnesses and passengers.

Don’t admit fault at the scene

Even if you think you caused the crash, you should refrain from saying so. This is because there may be some underlying factors that caused the crash, like bad road conditions, vehicle malfunctions, and distracted driving by the other driver. Therefore, if you admit fault without waiting for investigations to be carried out to determine the actual causes of the crash, you may ruin your shot at getting fair compensation. The car accident lawyers at Riddle & Brantley in North Carolina have the knowledge and experience to assist you in conducting the investigations, gathering evidence, and determining who the liable party is.

Conclusion

In conclusion, after being involved in a serious car accident, you should contact the police, seek medical help, take pics of the scene, exchange information with other drivers and witnesses, and don’t admit fault at the scene. Finally, hire a lawyer who can guide you through the process of seeking compensation to cover all your crash-related expenses.