By If you have been in a car accident, there are several steps that you should take to secure a compensation claim. Believe us when we tell you that these steps can make a big difference to the success of your claim.
Being the victim of negligence that resulted in a car accident can be a very stressful and traumatic experience. However, you should know that in a lot of circumstances, the victim of such accidents can be entitled to compensation.
Get Medical Attention Right Away
If you wish to proceed with a car accident claim, there are several important steps you should take. It is incredibly important to immediately get yourself checked out to have your injuries assessed by a medical professional as soon as possible after the accident.
By doing so, you will not only establish that you received the appropriate treatment but also make it evident that you were injured through your attendance.
Collect Evidence
When it comes to the compensation claim process, the records from the medical assessment can be used as evidence to help demonstrate the seriousness of your injury.
On that note, when it comes to collecting evidence, it is essential to speak to anybody who might have witnessed the accident happening. When you talk to the witnesses, make sure to ask them for their contact details. You might want to take photographs of the accident location and the damages that were caused by the accident.
This way, you can establish evidence regarding what exactly caused your injury.
Make Notes of CCTV Cameras
Take notes of whether there are any CCTV cameras covering the area where your accident occurred. Also, you must, if possible, ensure that an accident report is completed. You can get the accident report from the police arriving at the scene. On that note, calling the police and telling them about the accident is a top priority – even if you haven’t gotten injured in the accident.
Do Not Delay Unnecessarily
It is important to mention here that all of the above-mentioned steps are immediate steps that you should take right after the accident. If you are seriously injured and cannot move, you can ask someone else to do what is needed for you and make notes of the accident by taking pictures of the site and talking to witnesses.
Depending on the circumstances, the order in which things are done may differ – but – if you wish to proceed with a claim for compensation, then you must do all you can to ensure these steps are taken. There may be other circumstances or situations where specific things need to be done.
Take Pictures of the Cause and Effect
For instance, if you have tripped on a defect in the pavement, documenting the size of the pavement and taking photographs will be mandatory as the potential defect might be corrected after your accident.
When it comes to bringing a claim, we recommend you contact the best car accident lawyer in your area, such as the Denver Car Accident Lawyers, if you live in Denver. On that note, be absolutely honest in your account of how the accident happened so you can get a professional attorney working on securing the compensation that you deserve for your injury, pain, and suffering.
Keep Count of Lost Wages
Pain and suffering aren’t the only things that you will get compensated for, as you will get compensated for lost wages, too. There are several ways you can get your lost wages back after a car accident. Firstly, you can get back your lost wages through personal injury protection.
On that note, make sure to keep track of the hours that you lost at work and your pay rate, such as whether you are paid hourly or weekly, so you can make a claim through your personal injury protection. The other way you can get your lost wages from a car wreck that caused the injury is through the normal injury case – whether you are sending off a demand pre-suit or if you are going into a lawsuit.
Lost wages are a component of damages for which you can get compensation. So, it is incredibly important to ensure you keep track of the hours that were lost as well as the amount of pay that was lost from those hours that you missed due to the accident.
So, if you have been in a motor vehicle accident, give a car accident lawyer a call right away so they can work with their team of experts and simultaneously protect what is rightfully yours.
What Not To Do After An Accident
There are some things that you shouldn’t do if you find yourself in an accident – especially if you or someone else has been injured. By now, you know that if you have been injured, you will want to seek medical help immediately. Also, if you detect that someone else has been injured, call the ambulance so they can get the much-needed help.
When it comes to an accident, avoid the following things at all cost:
Driving Away
One of the worst things you can do if you get into an accident is the mistake of driving away from the wreck. It doesn’t matter whether you or someone else has been injured or not – driving away from the accident can be categorized as a crime, which is why it is incredibly important to stop the car and park it on the side so that you don’t stop any of the incoming traffic.
Subsequently, assess the situation and call the police even if you believe that no harm has been done. If you cannot reach the police, make it a priority to drive to the nearest police station and report the accident.
Not Collecting Information
Another mistake to avoid when you have been in an accident is not collecting information for evidence. You must get the personal information of the involved drivers as well as the information of those who witnessed the accident. On that note, get as many of the details down as possible, including the names, addresses, cell phone numbers, license numbers, and the insurance company details of the respective drivers who were involved in the accident.