Car accidents happen regularly on our roads, and their impacts are catastrophic for the victims. They suffer serious physical injuries, financial losses, and emotional trauma. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in Las Vegas, car accidents are a major safety concern. In Nevada, for example, between 2018-2021, law enforcement cited 1.4 million traffic incidents.
Victims must follow certain precautionary steps to protect their rights after a car accident. For instance, victims should contact an experienced car accident attorney immediately after a car accident for legal guidance and assistance.
- First, seek medical attention
The first thing to do after a car accident is to seek medical attention to treat your injuries. Make sure your doctor performs a comprehensive check on you to identify any internal injuries that may not be visible from the outside. Remember, your health should be your priority, even as you chase compensation for your losses. You want to avoid finding out later that you sustained a serious injury that could potentially ruin your life.
- Second, hire an experienced lawyer
After you have been treated for your injuries, the next step to take after a car accident is to contact an experienced car accident lawyer to guide you through the complex legal system and protect your rights. The importance of an attorney after a car accident cannot be emphasized enough. Besides helping you navigate the law, they will also help you gather valuable evidence to support your compensation claim.
- Third, do not settle, agree, or even admit to anything
To ensure your rights are well protected following a car accident, choose your words carefully when speaking to the authority or the defendant(s). When you agree or admit to any form of settlement or consent to being responsible for the accident, it will be difficult to protect your rights, even with the help of an attorney.
Note that insurance adjusters will be looking for every opportunity to minimize your compensation. Therefore, be careful not to implicate yourself by admitting to anything that might suggest you were at fault for the accident.
- Fourth, document all the accident scenes
Gather all valuable evidence of the case, including photographs of the scene, damaged property, and vehicle. Additionally, seek the police report about their investigation to familiarize yourself with their findings.
- Lastly, keep records of your medical treatments
To succeed in your car accident compensation claim, you need credible evidence to back your narrative. As such, keeping records of your medical treatment, including laboratory tests, consultation reports, and surgery reports, plays a vital role in establishing a strong case for your claim and how it has impacted your life. For example, medical records provide a detailed overview of the severity of your injuries and the value of the treatment you have received from medical experts, including consultation fees.
Moreover, these records also help to establish your recovery timeline and any long-term effects resulting from the accident.
In conclusion, being in a car accident is traumatic because you are likely to sustain critical injuries that could shape the rest of your life negatively. Therefore, it is important for you to take precautionary measures to protect your rights when something unfortunate happens. To be on the safe side after a car accident, seek immediate medical attention, hire an experienced car accident attorney, do not admit to or settle with the defendant or an insurance adjuster without your lawyer’s advice, and document all accident evidence and medical records to use in your case.
By observing these steps, you will successfully protect your rights and position yourself to receive fair compensation for all your losses and suffering.