Steps You Should Take to Protect Your Health and Your Legal Rights
When you’ve been involved in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, your whole life can change in an instant. The things that you do in the immediate aftermath of a crash can make a significant difference in your physical, as well as your financial, recovery. What are the most important things to do after a motor vehicle accident to ensure that your health and your legal rights are protected?
The Potential Consequences of a Motor Vehicle Accident
When you’ve been involved in a collision because of someone else’s carelessness, you may not be able to work right away or for the foreseeable future. You may need extensive medical care, which may not be entirely covered by insurance. Your injuries may cause chronic pain and suffering to the extent that you have to give up activities that brought you joy or fulfillment before the accident. You may be unable to have close personal relationships because of the trauma you’ve suffered. But there are things you can do to maximize your physical recovery and protect your legal rights.
Get the Medical Care You Need
After any type of accident, your first priority should always be your health. Do a quick assessment and determine the nature and severity of your injuries. If you’ve suffered any type of bump or blow to the head or neck, stay right where you are, provided you can do so without further risk of injury. Wait until emergency responders arrive and defer to their expertise. They’ll know how to determine the scope of your injuries, and they can help ensure that you don’t do anything to exacerbate an injury. Be willing to travel to the hospital in an ambulance, if necessary.
Even if you are able to walk away from the crash, you want to get medical attention as soon as possible, either by taking yourself to a hospital emergency room or urgent care facility, or by scheduling an immediate appointment with your primary care provider. The sooner you seek medical care, the more options doctors will typically have. In addition, getting timely medical treatment will help your legal claims, as doctors can confirm that your injuries resulted from the accident.
When you seek medical attention, be certain to tell doctors about anything that seems unusual. Don’t focus only on obvious injuries, such as a broken bone. Often, injuries that take some time to develop are the ones that cause the most long-term challenges. Ask medical personnel to document everything in writing, so that you have a permanent record.
Gather Information, If Possible
If you can, try to get as much information as you can from the other driver and from potential witnesses, including names, phone numbers, email addresses, and other contact information. Be willing to ask the at-fault driver for the name of their insurance company. In addition, get your phone out and take pictures of everything that may be relevant to the crash, including the injuries you’ve suffered, the damage to all vehicles, weather conditions, skid marks, and any roadway issues that may have contributed to the accident.
Contact an Experienced Attorney
The sooner you contact an attorney, the sooner your rights will be fully protected. Your attorney can be your liaison with insurance companies, helping you get the benefits you need and deserve. Your attorney will also know what steps to take to ensure your rights are protected in court.
Contact the Law Offices of David J. Karbasian, PC
You have the right to seek full and fair compensation when you’ve been hurt in any type of motor vehicle accident caused by the carelessness of another person. We can help. Send us an email today or call us at 1-877-HOGLAW1 to schedule an appointment to discuss your claim. Evening and weekend consultations are available upon request. We can come to your home or the hospital to meet with you, if necessary.
We take all personal injury claims on a contingency basis. We will charge legal fees only if we recover compensation for your losses.
