What To Do At The Scene Of An Accident (Part Three)
We all hope to go our entire lives without being involved in a major accident. However, hopes and dreams are impractical methods of accident prevention. Rather, we should cautiously prepare and educate ourselves in case one day we were involved in an accident. By reading our accident guide, we hope you feel confident that you now know exactly what you should do should you ever be in a car accident. So far, we have covered the importance of looking after your health, contacting the authorities, taking pictures, and speaking to eye witnesses. Today, we are going to venture away from the accident scene.
4. Seeking Medical Attention
You should seek medical attention, or at least consult with a medical professional even if you do not believe you have been significantly injured. Often, you may not notice soft-tissue injuries to your neck or back for hours, or even days after the accident. In part, this is because adrenaline masks pain and hides injury symptoms. If you have been injured, you want to document it as soon as possible following an accident. Waiting could cause issues in a personal injury case. A delay could cause an insurance adjuster to argue that you must not have been hurt that bad. If you have suffered a serious injury, continue to visit your doctor and/or therapist on a routine basis. It is your job to mitigate your injuries even if you were not the cause of them.
5. Speak to an Attorney
Finally, you should speak with an attorney. Generally, it is a good idea to speak with an attorney BEFORE you speak with an insurance provider. Insurance adjustors are not your friend. They want to close a claim as quickly and as inexpensively as they can. They will try to devalue your accident. Often, they do this by getting you to admit to some degree of fault, or by downplaying your injuries. An attorney will handle all communications with insurance adjustors for you. This will ensure that each conversation and negotiations is in your favor.