What are Your Chances of Getting Into an Accident?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that, every year in the United States, about 3 million people are nonfatally injured in motor vehicle crashes. That is over 8,200 accidents per day! These numbers are staggering and make it clear that we are all not only at a substantial risk of being involved in a car accident at some point, but we are at risk of being injured in a car accident.
What to Do If You Are Involved in a Car Accident
If you have been involved in a car accident, you may feel completely overwhelmed about what you should do next. Knowing what steps to take after such an upsetting event, however, can be critical to protecting your rights and, should you have sustained injuries or other damages in the accident, effectively enforcing your right to full and fair compensation. At Fazli & Associates, it is far too common for us to see how our clients have jeopardized their legal rights through missteps after being in a car accident. Don’t let this happen to you. Here are concrete steps to take after a car accident.
CALL 911
Immediately after a car accident, you should call 911. Not only will this trigger an ambulance arriving at the scene to provide emergency medical aid to anyone who may need it, but it also means the police will arrive and an official accident report will be generated. This accident report will be important evidence, especially regarding liability, should you need to later pursue an insurance claim.
DO NOT ADMIT FAULT
Keep your statements at the scene to a minimum. Answer questions asked by law enforcement in simple and direct ways. Do not speculate on things such as who is at fault for causing the accident. Do not admit fault and do not even discuss it at the scene. Also, be sure to exchange insurance and contact information with the other parties involved in the accident.
TAKE PICTURES & WITNESS INFO
If you are able to, take pictures. Take pictures of property and vehicle damage sustained. Take pictures of the accident scene and any road signs. If there are visible skid marks, take pictures of those as well. Additionally, document any injuries such as bruising or scratching by taking pictures of those as well. In addition to picture, be sure to get the information from any witnesses to the accident.
SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION
To help ensure you receive proper medical care for your injuries, and also to protect any personal injury claim you may pursue, get medical attention within 24 to 48 hours of the accident. The sooner the better. Also, be sure to follow any follow-up care instructions provided to you by your doctor.
DON’T TALK TO ANY INSURANCE COMPANY WITHOUT A LAWYER
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DEFINIITELY DO NOT GIVE A RECORDED STATEMENT
Insurance companies will likely start calling you soon after the accident. Know that, while you are contractually obligated to speak to your insurance company, you are under no such obligation to speak to any other insurance company. Rest assured, talk to a competent lawyer first before talking to an insurance company. When speaking to an insurance representative, avoid speculating on who is at fault for the accident. Also, avoid speculating about the extent of your injuries. The full severity of accident injuries may take time to fully present themselves.
Fazli & Associates is Here to Protect Your Legal Rights to Full and Fair Compensation.
At Fazli & Associates, we do not want to see anyone make avoidable mistakes after an accident that could jeopardize their legal rights to receive compensation for their losses.
SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND RECEIVE A FREE PAMPHLET WITH THE ABOVE CHECKLIST TO KEEP IN YOUR CAR AT ALL TIMES & AND A SMALL GIFT FROM US!
That is why, if you share this blog on your page and like our page, then message us (upon verification) we will gladly send you a high quality pamphlet which provides a clear checklist of what you should do after an accident. Keep it safely stowed in your car should you ever need it. As an added bonus, we will send you a pen and a mug too with our tiger logo on it! Have your own pet tiger at home.
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