Were you recently involved in an accident? If you were not at fault for the accident, there is no reason why you should have to foot the bill for it. There are certain steps that you will need to take to prevent this negative outcome. Here are the 6 steps you need to take after you have had an accident.
1. Seek Medical Attention as Soon as Possible
The first step that you should take after you have had a car accident will be to seek immediate medical attention. This is a step that you should take even if you do not think you have suffered any kind of medical injury. You may still be dazed or in shock and in no position to know what your condition is.
You will also need to get medical attention so that all of your potential injuries are documented by a physician. This will be someone in a position of authority who can give you legitimate legal documents concerning your condition. This is the proof you will need to give your insurance when you file your claim.
2. Move Your Car to a Safer Place
After you have gotten any medical assistance that you may need, you should move your car to a safer location. This will prevent other cars from getting too close to the scene or possibly adding to the accident. The sooner you take this step, the sooner you can regroup and wait for the authorities to show up.
If someone else crashes into your car after the initial accident has occurred, this will muddy the waters when it comes time to file your insurance claim. Your insurance may try to treat the matter as one that was your own fault due to not moving the vehicle out of harm’s way in time.
3. Make Sure the Police Are Notified Immediately
You need to make sure that the police and emergency medical personnel are notified of the accident as soon as possible. The more documented evidence you have, the easier it will be to file your claim with your insurance company. This is evidence you may also need to provide in court if the matter has to go there.
4. Get All the Eyewitness Info You Can
The next step you should take after you have been involved in an auto accident is to get as much eyewitness info as you can. This can be evidence from police, emergency medical personnel, and witnesses to the accident. You will need plenty of this evidence to bring to your insurance company when you file your claim.
5. Take Photo Evidence for Your Insurance Claim
Get as many photos of the accident scene as well as the damage to the vehicle as you can. If you have visible scars, cuts, or other injuries, get photos of these as well. You want to have as much direct photo evidence to give to your insurance company as possible. You may also need it to show to a court of law.
Remember that your insurance company will be naturally skeptical of your claim. It isn’t in their interests to grant a claim with no investigation. The more irrefutable photo evidence you give them, the better. This is proof that will save you a lot of time and trouble.
6. Contact an Attorney to Represent Your Claim
Your final step in this matter should be to contact a Syracuse personal injury lawyer. This will be the legal representative whom you can retain to help you file your claim. Once you have done so, they will stand with you through each step of the process. Their goal will be to help you get the full amount of compensation that you are owed.
The Time to Protect Yourself is Now
Once an accident has taken place, there is no time to lose. You need to know all of the steps that you need to take to protect yourself. The sooner you do so, the sooner you can initiate a plan of action. This will be the action you pursue in order to get the full settlement for the injuries that you are entitled to.
Author Bio: Steffy Alen is a copywriter and content strategist. She helps businesses stop playing around with content marketing and start seeing the tangible ROI. She loves writing as much as she loves the cake.