If you find yourself in an accident with another vehicle and you do not know what to do—do not panic. An experienced car accident attorney is prepared to help advise and guide you through this unexpected situation. Keep reading to learn the most important steps to take after a car wreck in Sunset Hills.
Step 1 – Contact Law Enforcement
The most important step to take following a car accident in Sunset Hills is to call the police, or if life-threatening injuries exist, to call 911. People sometimes neglect to contact law enforcement after being involved in a collision with another vehicle because they think it is not that big of a deal. A person may allow an apologetic driver whose reckless actions caused the wreck to talk them into simply exchanging personal information and handling it without legal involvement. However, this is almost always a mistake.
Even if an individual is in a private parking lot and someone backs into their vehicle, seemingly leaving only a few scrapes or dents, they should still report the incident to the police immediately. This is because a police report acts as the official legal record of the accident. Without getting an officer involved, the situation can easily become a “he-said, she-said,” making it extremely difficult for the victim to hold the responsible party accountable for their damages.
Step 2 – Get Medically Evaluated
Another critical action to take following a car crash in Sunset Hills is to seek medical attention. Similarly to neglecting to contact law enforcement, people frequently neglect to get medically evaluated after being involved in a motor vehicle collision because they do not want to “make a fuss.” Other common reasons people give for not immediately getting physically evaluated by a medical professional after a car crash include:
- They are busy and want to get back to their day
- They were overwhelmed with the adrenaline and did not notice their injury
- They do not see any obvious damage or feel any immediate pain
- They put it off and say they will do it later
- They thought the injury was only minor
However, just like neglecting to call the police is a mistake after being involved in a car wreck, so is failing to be seen by a doctor. This is because some serious injuries may only present themselves internally at first and while symptoms may not be obvious immediately, they can become life-threatening. Catastrophic injuries of this nature include head trauma, neck injuries, and spinal cord damage.
Additionally, if injuries become apparent and a person wishes to pursue legal action, they may have difficulty proving the injury actually resulted from the car accident without medical documentation.
Step 3 – Call an Attorney
If an individual has been involved in a motor vehicle accident in Sunset Hills, the final step to take is to get in touch with a lawyer as soon as possible. One of the many skilled attorneys at Longo Biggs Injury Law could thoroughly investigate all of the details of particular case to determine whether a claim could be made for damages. If so, they could then work tirelessly to gather evidence to prove the other driver’s negligent actions directly caused the collision resulting in your physical injury, as well as possible emotional distress.
Once your dedicated lawyer proves another party was to blame for the crash, they could put together a comprehensive claim to seek monetary damages for all of the losses you suffered. This may include:
- Current medical bills and treatments
- Future medical bills and treatments
- Loss wages from time missed at work
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage to your vehicle
These are just a few of the damages that a seasoned attorney could help an injured individual recover following a car accident in Sunset Hills. A complete list of all past and future economic and non-economic losses a person might have a right to pursue could be discussed during an initial consultation.
Discuss the Critical Steps to Take Following a Car Crash in Sunset Hills
As you can see, there is a lot at stake when it comes to how a person handles the immediate aftermath of a motor vehicle accident. The most important steps to take after a car wreck in Sunset Hills are to contact law enforcement, get medically evaluated, and call an attorney.
While being involved in a car crash can be scary, if you follow all the steps listed above, you could put yourself in an excellent position to achieve a successful result in a personal injury lawsuit. Call now to get started.
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