If you’ve been involved in a car accident, there’s a good chance that it was traumatic to some extent. After all, accidents are scary events. In the confusion and chaos of the moment, you probably weren’t able to take note of your surroundings or other important facts about the accident itself. You were too busy trying to figure out if you and your passengers were okay and worrying about where the other person was going to end up.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re at fault for an accident or not – once those police lights show up, everyone is considered potentially culpable until proven otherwise. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t steps that can be taken following a car accident to protect yourself from any further problems down the road. Here’s how to handle it the right way
Get Immediate Medical Attention
If you feel that you or any of your passengers have sustained injuries following a car accident, the best course of action is to seek immediate medical attention. After all, delaying treatment could make it difficult for an injury to heal properly. Doctors will only need to see receipts for work absences and visits to medical facilities to prove that you were hurt in the accident – so actually go ahead and get those things done even if you believe that there are no long-term consequences from the accident itself. Particularly if the accident occurred as a result of another driver’s negligence, these records can be useful later down the line when you’re seeking compensation for your injuries.
Contact Your Lawyer
This is a no-brainer – if you don’t have a lawyer already, it might be time to get one. If you’ve sustained injuries as a result of another’s negligence, your attorney can help guide you through the process of filing a claim and arguing your case in court. This can be especially true if you’re from out of state. If you were involved in a car accident in Texas, it could be easier for an attorney specializing in car accident compensation cases to represent your interests and a local representation that’s familiar with local laws and loopholes that may apply to your particular accident. The procedure of filing aaa insurance claims in Texas can be tricky if you’re not aware of the local court system. Therefore, having a professional on your side can be a deciding factor in whether or not you receive the compensation that you deserve.
Document Everything
This is one of the most important things to keep in mind after a car accident – always document everything! Write down the details of the accident, from what time it occurred to how exactly it happened, and any information that may have been exchanged with another driver or passenger following the accident itself. If possible, take photos of damage sustained by all vehicles involved as well as document any property damaged during the collision. In addition, write down any witness accounts immediately following an accident before memories fade and details begin to change. It’s also a good idea to make sure your car’s onboard camera has captured footage of either yourself or another driver involved in the accident itself.
Also, get contact information from anyone who witnessed the accident itself so you can speak with them later on about what they saw or experienced while it occurred.
Eyewitnesses are especially useful when corroborating your account of events after an accident has occurred.
Be Smart When Speaking With The Other Side
It doesn’t matter whether you’re at fault for an accident or not – once those police lights show up, everyone involved in the accident is considered potentially culpable until proven otherwise. Even if they started talking before the police showed up, it’s not a good idea to admit anything until speaking with an attorney. If you were actually at fault for the accident in question, admitting as much could be detrimental to your case – and if you weren’t at fault for the accident, then you should speak with your insurance representative before telling anyone else what happened.
Never Sign Anything Until Speaking With A Lawyer
It may be tempting to accept the word of an insurance representative right after an accident has occurred, particularly if they’re making promises such as taking care of all damage sustained in the collision and fully compensating you for your injuries. However, it’s important never to sign anything without speaking with a lawyer first because once your signature is on a document, there’s very little that can be done in terms of changing the outcome in future legal proceedings. Getting a free consultation from a knowledgeable attorney who specializes in car accident compensation cases in Texas will only take about 20 minutes from start to finish so there truly isn’t any reason not to at least give it a shot.
Handling the aftermath of a car accident can be an unpleasant process if you don’t know what you’re doing. However, if you remember the advice mentioned above, it’s possible to make this process go by much more smoothly and even receive compensation for your injuries in addition to whatever damage was sustained by your car!
