Taking action after you’ve been injured in a car or truck accident can ensure you receive fair and adequate compensation.
As a premier personal injury attorney in Savannah, GA, Lasky Justus Law has helped motorists throughout the Central Savannah River Area receive compensation for their car accident-related injuries. No matter the extent of your injuries, we’re here to represent you and fight for the compensation you deserve.
To help motorists prepare for the unexpected, we’ll explore what to do if you’ve been injured in a car accident. If you’ve recently been injured in a car or truck accident, contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys.
Don’t Panic
No matter how minor it may seem, don’t leave the scene of the accident. Check to see if you and your passengers are okay. Then, check on the other driver, passengers, and any affected pedestrians.
If the accident was minor and you’re caught in traffic, slowly and carefully drive your car to the side of the road with your hazard lights on.
If the accident is serious and there are significant injuries, leave the vehicles as they are. Determine whether anyone is in need of immediate medical assistance and call 9-1-1.
Get a Police Report
Law enforcement will provide a report that includes a preliminary investigation, a vehicle inspection, as well as interviews with all involved parties and witnesses.
Most importantly, the police report will determine who was at fault, which will be an imperative piece of evidence in a personal injury claim. Without this report, you can find yourself at odds in court, with the other driver potentially changing their story or denying the accident altogether.
Keep Roadside Interactions to a Minimum
It’s important to check and make sure all involved parties are okay and determine if someone needs medical attention. However, it’s recommended that you keep any and all roadside interactions to a minimum.
Don’t apologize or take responsibility for the accident. Any discussions made at the scene could potentially be used against you in court. Wait until law enforcement has arrived. There’s no predicting the emotional state of the other driver and passengers involved.
Collect Witness Information
Whether or not the police have arrived on the scene, obtain the contact information of witnesses, including their full name, phone number, and any other identifying information. Witnesses will often leave the scene before the police arrive, which can make it harder to determine who was at fault. You don’t want to be in a situation where it is your word against the other driver’s.
As long as your injuries don’t prevent you from speaking, you should collect information that will help you get in touch with any witnesses to your accident. Not only will this help law enforcement create a more detailed and accurate report. You may need witness testimony at a potential trial later on.
Collect Other Vital Information
You should record as much detail about the accident as possible, including photos and video.
Record the impacted area of your vehicle, as well as the other(s) involved. Photograph the front side, all sides, and the rear. Take photos of your surroundings, any skid marks, damaged property, and the position of the vehicles in relation to the curb and street. All of these photos will be helpful in piecing together and recreating the accident.
Seek Medical Treatment
Don’t wait to receive medical attention following your accident. Your injuries may seem minor or nonexistent; however, bruising, whiplash, head, spinal, or muscle injuries can develop symptoms and cause pain one to three days after an accident.
Even if you have a high pain tolerance and want to tough out your injuries, it’s best to err on the side of caution and get evaluated by a medical professional. That way, should you miss work or acquire medical bills due to an injury, you have a better chance of receiving compensation.
Describe your injuries, symptoms, and pain in detail. Your medical provider will record all of this information in your medical records. Insurance companies use this information to evaluate the validity of personal injury claims. If you wait to seek medical attention, the insurance company could argue that your injuries are not related to the accident.
Notify Your Insurance Company
While you are not required to notify your insurance company right at the scene, it’s best to do so within 72 hours of the accident. Let the carrier know that you were involved in a car accident where there were injuries and property damage. You don’t have to disclose any additional information or details about the accident to the insurance carrier prior to filing a claim.
Notifying the insurance company is not the same as filing a claim. Alerting the insurance company that there was an accident will not increase your premium. What it will do is ensure you receive coverage if and should you need it. This will also protect you in case the other driver is underinsured or does not have car insurance at all.
Contact an Auto Accident Attorney
There’s no predicting when you’ll be involved in an automobile accident. Unfortunately, injuries resulting from a car or truck accident can lead to high medical bills, lost wages, long-term or life-altering injuries and even emotional distress.
If you’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Savannah or the surrounding areas of Georgia or South Carolina, you deserve fair, adequate, and just compensation. Contact Lasky Justus Law today! Our auto accident and personal injury attorneys are ready to assist you.
