Did you know that the injury rate for car accidents in the US is around 715 injuries per 100,000 people? However small the chance of injuries may be, it’s good to be prepared to face all financial and legal consequences involved.
Taking the proper steps in the hours, days, and weeks following a car crash can make the legal processes smoother. Learn about the steps a Dallas injury lawyer would take to ensure their car crash case has the best possible outcome.
Get To a Safe Spot
The first thing you should do after an accident is to get yourself to safety. If you can move your vehicle out of the road, that’s the best thing to do. However, there is no obligation to move your car if it can no longer function.
Call Emergency Services
Once you have a safe place to stand, the next thing to do is to phone the police or ambulances. Emergency services will be able to help everyone who needs it, including removing incapacitated persons from the scene and clearing vehicles.
It may not be necessary to call emergency services to the scene if the accident only results in minor damage to the cars. However, you still must report the incident to the police regardless of how small the damage may seem.
Stay at the Scene
It would be best if you stayed near the crash scene until it is appropriate to leave or emergency services take you to a hospital or clinic. Hitting and running can make your case much weaker and can lead to more legal trouble down the line.
The question most people ask here is how long they’re expected to wait. The answer depends on the crash’s severity.
Suppose the accident is minor (with only cosmetic damage to the vehicles). In that case, it is reasonable to stay until you and the other driver(s) have exchanged insurance information and contact details. If there are people with injuries, then it is best to wait until emergency services arrive.
Gather Evidence (Quietly)
One of the most critical car accident legal steps is to “stay silent.” To be clear, talking is still fine, but ensure you refrain from making admissions while waiting for emergency services. The best way to do this is to avoid talking about what you were doing in the moments leading up to the accident.
You want to save yourself from unintentionally giving the other driver a reason to hold you liable. However, this does not bar you from gathering evidence for your case.
Keeping a note or recording of statements made at the scene can be valuable for your Dallas car accident lawyer later. Photos are also useful for determining fault during the car accident claims process.
Be as detailed as possible when gathering the information. Document everything from the time of day, weather, angles of impact, bystander’s statements, etc. Also, make sure you get the contact details of any bystanders.
Get Medical Attention
Getting medical help is important for two reasons. On the medical front, any injuries you have may feel less severe at the moment than they are in reality.
Adrenaline or shock can hide your injuries’ true impact in the moments following the accident. Get to a doctor or hospital to protect yourself from permanent damage.
This is also good legal advice in car accident cases. Visiting a medical professional can create further evidence that addresses any injury’s costs and severity. Waiting before seeing a doctor can allow the other side to claim the injury is not as serious.
Notify Your Insurer
Most insurance companies require their clients to report incidents within a given time frame. If you do not yet have an attorney, notify your insurer of the incident first if the deadline is close.
However, many find it better to let their attorneys notify their insurance carriers. Attorneys know how to deal with claims adjusters and other problems with insurance companies.
Find a Personal Injury Attorney
It is imperative that you find an attorney if you do not already have one. Getting an attorney is your right; it is not an automatic admission of liability and cannot be used against you.
A personal injury attorney’s presence on a case does different things for different people. On one end of the spectrum, someone can be completely innocent and need help navigating the steps after a car accident. Conversely, a person may feel the need for an attorney because they suspect a lawsuit.
Whatever the reason for getting an attorney, you will always fare better in the legal sphere with an attorney’s help than without it. You may find that your car accident claim simply moves more swiftly than you thought. If you do end up with a legal battle, having a lawyer’s advice will put you much further ahead than you would have been otherwise.
Take Your Attorney’s Advice Seriously
Your attorney’s instructions will get far more specific to your case from when you start working with your attorney and beyond. They will explain your best legal options when they have the whole picture. You can choose which path to take based on your case and the available legal options.
However, your attorney may also give you specific instructions to help you achieve that “best-case scenario” outcome. Following these instructions can be critical to your case. Some instructions are meant to help you not damage your case, while others help your attorneys get what they need to resolve the matter for you.
Work With the Best Dallas Injury Lawyer
Car accidents are tragedies that occur at an unfortunately high frequency. Getting into deep legal trouble thereafter just seems to add insult to injury.
Work through your car accident case by following these simple steps. Get safe, call emergency, stay at the scene until it is reasonable to leave, and report the crash to authorities. Get to the doctor as soon as possible, and then notify your attorney and insurance carrier of the incident.
Letting your attorney handle the nastier and more complex parts of your car accident case will make your life much easier. If you want a top-rated Dallas injury lawyer, contact Williams & Cannon PLLC today. We are experts at getting favorable outcomes for our clients.
