No matter how careful you are when driving your vehicle, you can still become a victim of a car accident. Whether the accident involves injury and major property damage or is a minor fender-bender, it will entail making an insurance claim. You might also want to file a personal injury claim.
If you want to file a personal injury claim after a car accident to receive compensation for your injuries, do these things.
Things to Do At the Scene of the Accident
The first thing you must do is check yourself other passengers and the driver of the other vehicle for injuries. If anyone is injured, immediately call the paramedics. If someone has sustained serious injuries and aren’t able to move, don’t do anything to them until the paramedics arrive.
Once you have called the paramedics, alert the police and ask them to send an officer to file a police report. This is important for your personal injury case. The court may require you to provide the police report as evidence for your claim. If the police don’t arrive at the scene, then report the accident and get a copy of the police report.
In addition, exchange information with the other driver. Obtain their name, address, insurance information, and driver’s license number. If there are any witnesses to the accident, obtain their name, and contact information. If possible, take some photos or record a video of your vehicle and the accident scene. Take notes on road condition and weather at the time of the collision.
Remember not to make any statements or apologize to the other driver or police as this could be used against you at the court.
Things to Do After the Car Accident
· Seek Medical Care
After the accident, make sure to obtain medical treatment for any injury you might have sustained. Inform the treating doctor that you’ve been involved in a car accident.
Don’t try to avoid going to a doctor thinking that your injuries are minor or you haven’t sustained an injury. Sometimes symptoms of an injury surface after a few days following the accident. If you don’t go to a doctor right after the crash, it can affect your personal injury case. The defending party may claim that your injuries weren’t serious enough to be compensated since you didn’t go to a doctor immediately.
The success of a personal injury claim will depend on a medical record that shows your injuries, the medical expenses, and how the injuries impacted on your life.
· Contact Your Insurance Company
Contact your insurance company and report the accident. Provide them as much information as possible about the crash. However, don’t accept fault. If you say that you were at fault, the insurance company will likely deny your claim.
· File a Personal Injury Claim
If you don’t live in a no-fault state like Florida, you may be able to file a personal injury claim against the driver responsible for the accident. By filing this claim, you may be able to receive compensation for the economic damages like medical expenses, lost wages, etc and non-economical damages like pain and suffering.
· Hire an Attorney
If you want to file a personal injury claim, you should consider hiring a personal injury attorney to represent you at the court and collect evidence that can strengthen your position.