Getting into a traffic accident can result in many damages, both physical and emotional. Not knowing what to do after you’ve been in an accident or who to call can get you a little confused. There are a few things you should do after you’ve been in an accident. Here’s the right way to deal with a traffic accident from a legal standpoint.
Get to Safety
To begin with, you shouldn’t panic so that you’re able to think clearly. The first thing you must do is to move to safety. Standing in the middle of the road risks your life and anyone else involved in the accident. If it is possible, move the cars to the side of the road, if not wait until a tow car arrives. Once you’ve made sure everyone is safe, you can then call for help.
Call Your Emergency Hotline
It is essential that you dial your emergency hotline as soon as you can, especially if you or anyone else has been injured. After a few minutes, police officers will arrive at the accident scene to get your testimony and the other involved party’s testimony. Up until the police arrive you shouldn’t violently attack the other party whether verbally or physically. You shouldn’t, at any point, admit guilt for the accident. When you’re talking to the police make sure that you don’t at any point lie about any detail. If you’re not sure whether this information should be shared or not, just say that you don’t know. Once an ambulance arrives at the scene, be sure to get yourself checked. Even if you believe that there’s nothing wrong with you, you might have internal bleeding.
Collect Data and Evidence
After you’ve gotten to safety and have called your emergency hotline, you can start gathering evidence and data. Evidence can be anything that can help your case. Write down any surveillance camera locations you can find that might have caught the accident. Take pictures of both cars, and nearby pictures of the damaged parts as evidence of the damages done. Take a picture of the license plate and write it down as well. Ask the other driver for their contact information and provide them with your contact information as well.
Call Your Attorney
Accidents generally require so much legal work. It is very important that you get in contact with your lawyer as soon as you can, or to get one if you’re not already in contact with one. One of the most dangerous types of accidents mentioned by a truck accident attorney in Georgia is truck accidents because they result in the most life -threatening injuries to the car driver. Your attorney must be someone that you can be open and truthful with. Lying to your attorney or hiding important details from them can really complicate your case and make it harder for you to receive your rightful compensation. Even sharing minor details with your lawyer will help, even if they seem insignificant to you because they can be very crucial to your case.
File Your Claim
Often you’ll need to file your claim in a specific time period that is required by insurance companies or by the law. Make sure that your report is legally proofed, you can ask your lawyer for help with that. You need to follow up with your claim as well and get in contact with your insurance provider or the party responsible for your injury expenses and compensation.
Consult Your Attorney
Your attorney will know what you can and cannot do from a legal perspective. You need to consult your attorney before taking any steps in your case to make sure that it will not result in harm to you. If anyone from the other party tries to approach you to talk, make sure that you don’t have any conversations without consulting your attorney or asking them if it’s okay. Don’t, under any circumstances, agree to or sign on any deals without getting your attorney’s approval of the deal to make sure that the deal is of benefit for you and that it doesn’t incriminate you or strip you of your rights in any way.
The process of getting over your accident’s impact on your physical and emotional health can be a little hard and long, not to mention the process of receiving your rightful compensation. Surrounding yourself with loving friends and family, and having a trustful and good attorney beside you will ensure that you will get over this time and that you will receive every penny that you deserve as well.