Despite global warming and the drive for a greener world, the number of cars on the road continues to increase daily, and this, in turn, has led to an increase in traffic accidents. Thankfully the vast majority of these accidents do not result in a serious injury, but nevertheless, around 20% of people involved in accidents need to seek medical treatment.
Unfortunately knowing what to do should you be involved in a car crash is not easy, there are so many variables it can become a bit of a minefield, so here we are going to take a look at everything you need to know should you suffer serious injuries from a car crash.
Call the police
If you are involved in a car crash, whether or not it was your fault, the most important thing to do is to call the police. This is because the whole series of events need to be documented in detail, so as to ascertain who was at fault. You may be under shock but you should do your best not to incriminate yourself in any way. Do not admit guilt or blame in any circumstances, even when trying to comfort injured parties. Leave that to your lawyer at a later stage.
Check for injuries
It is very important to check for injuries early on. Obviously some will be clear such as cuts or broken bones, others, however, may not be so obvious such as internal bleeding or trauma-related injuries hidden by shock. If in doubt go to the local hospital and get yourself checked out. You need to be able to directly relate any injuries you have to the car crash if you wish to seek any compensation for the accident.
Document everything
Once you are able to, you need to document everything that happened in the crash. The first thing to do is to write down your version of events as clearly as possible. Legal experts from Douglasville Car Accident Lawyer suggest you take photographs of the event, or perhaps of the weather conditions if it was a foul day, or any skid marks, damaged buildings, or trees, literally anything that could support your claim. Make sure you have full details of the other driver and any passengers, you don’t want any false claims about extra passengers in their car.
Inform your insurer
Once you have gathered together all the details surrounding the car crash you need to inform your insurance company, this is an obligation. It is also to your benefit because your company has a duty to defend you against any claims brought against you, and depending on your cover you may be able to receive immediate medical or roadside assistance. The sooner you can notify them the better protected you will be from any fraudulent claims from the other party.
Negotiate with your insurer
Now the tricky part starts as you will have to negotiate compensation from the insurance companies. Bear in mind that they will try to pay you as little compensation as possible and it may get to the point where you have to send them a professional demand letter for compensation stipulating what you believe you are due for damages. If they agree, all well and good, if they don’t then you need to consider hiring an attorney.
Hire a lawyer
At this stage, you may have had a claim made against you, or you may believe you are not being offered fair compensation for your injuries. If so, now is the time to hire an attorney. If you do this, it will end your negotiations with the insurance companies, your lawyer will now handle this side of things. You will need to cooperate fully and furnish them with all the details and documentation surrounding the case. Be aware that they will operate on a no win no fee basis, so it is important to know what percentage of any settlement you will be paying them to check this route makes economic sense. Hopefully, if all goes well you will now receive the compensation you were due for the crash.
As we have discovered there are many important steps you need to take in the aftermath of a serious car crash. It is important to document the scene early on and make sure you do not admit any liability whatsoever. Try and negotiate with your insurance company and if you feel that you are not getting a fair deal then it is time to consider hiring a lawyer to fight your case for you. If you follow these steps you will at least receive the damages you are due for your serious car crash injury.
