The People You Should Talk to After Being Involved in A Nasty Car Accident
If you have been involved in an accident you probably know how disorienting it can be. It is even worse when you get involved in a nasty accident with family or friends. Injuries, damage to property, and even loss of life are possible car accident scenarios. Most accident victims will be in a state of shock, wondering what will happen next.
In such a dazed state, car accident victims might speak to anyone who offers help. It might not be their fault anyway, but it might have an implication on the events that ensue. This is why one needs to be extra careful about the people they talk to after a car crash. Read through the following tips to know who to talk to after a nasty car accident.
- Your Doctor
It is crucial that a doctor examines you fully and gives you treatment for injuries sustained in a nasty car crash. Your doctor will need full information about your medical history and the facts about how you got involved in the crash. Don’t delay seeking medical care or adding new information that might seemingly add weight to your claim. Your doctor will then be in a position to tell you how your current and future treatment will be especially if complications arise from your injuries.
Your doctor will also inform you whether you can work or not based on your symptoms and the limitations from injuries sustained in the car crash. Finally, the outcome of your healing, in terms of whether you will retain the abilities you previously had and fully understanding your injuries to help you lead a healthy life.
- Your Insurance Company
Your insurance company needs to know that you have been involved in the car crash immediately or as soon as you are physically able to. Your insurer will most likely send an adjuster seeking information about the car crash, injuries sustained such as whiplash and will advise you on the steps to follow in your settlement claim. You are never obligated to speak to the other driver’s insurance company, despite them telling you that should. Keep in mind also that insurance companies always protect their interests. This is why they will send insurance adjusters to look for any information to deny claims or offer the lowest settlements possible.
When speaking to an insurance company, stick to the facts, and avoid admitting blame for the accident. You should also avoid overstating or understating the extent of injuries. Whenever you feel uncomfortable speaking to an insurer, you can call a personal attorney to handle the matter for you.
- Your Lawyer
A nasty car accident might leave victims severely injured and maimed. The natural course of action for most is to seek compensation for vehicle and property damage, cost of medical treatment, and loss of wages. Most insurance companies will, however, want to reduce the settlement to claimants by giving a lowball offer. Remember, the insurance companies have top lawyers and insurance adjusters working to reduce claims or deny them altogether.
This is why you need to call a lawyer as soon as you get involved in a nasty car crash. If you speak to insurance adjusters then wait long afterwards before you call your lawyer, the insurance company might have useful information that they can use against you to give you a low settlement or deny it completely. Your attorney will speak on your behalf, especially when insurance adjusters come fishing for any information to use against you.
- The Police Or Investigating Officer
Police will most likely arrive at the scene of the car crash. Police officers at the scene will help crash victims and also file an accident report. You will need to answer questions regarding the car crash to enable the police officers to file the accident report. If no police officers arrive at the scene, you may need to report the accident at the nearest police station. An incident report will be filed and the case assigned to an investigating officer.
You may need to take the badge number and name of the investigating officer to keep in touch about the investigation.
- EMTs
You may talk to emergency responders at the accident scene because they may ask a few questions regarding the car accident. This includes other medical personnel at the accident scene.
- Witnesses
If you are in a physical position to speak to witnesses and get their account, it would help you in your settlement claim. Their testimony would go a long way to prove your claim and help get the compensation you’re going for. You just need to deal with them in a courteous manner to ensure their cooperation towards the investigation.
After a car crash, it is always advisable to remain guarded and not speak to anyone at the scene about the accident. In a state of shock, one might give away more information than needed, and this might hurt the settlement claim later on.
Keep these people in mind whenever you’re driving on the road. You’ll never know when an accident will happen. If it does occur, these people will be a big help in helping you stay safe, recover from injuries, or get legal assistance. Always remember to drive defensively too to reduce the chances of an accident from happening.
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