Being hit by another car is terrifying and can severely injure you and your loved one. It’s difficult to think clearly at first and understand how to proceed. Learn more about important post-auto accident steps below, then contact an experienced auto accident attorney for more information.
What To Do In The Days After A Car Accident
A car accident is a mentally and physically overwhelming experience. You may not be in your ordinary mind for hours, even days. So, it’s understandable that everything will be chaotic after the crash. However, your actions in the days after the auto accident can make or break your case. What do you need to do initially?
You need to call the police after an auto accident and get medical attention for anyone injured. Once you’ve done that, what should you do next? Here are the critical steps to take to ensure you protect your rights and build a strong case:
See A Medical Professional
The most important step after a serious auto accident is to take care of your health and well-being. You need to ensure that any injury you have doesn’t get worse and possibly threaten your life. Keep in mind that many severe injuries may be undetectable initially. It can take a few hours or even a few days to realize you have a serious injury.
For example, many car accident victims strike their heads inside the vehicle but don’t realize how hard the impact is. They may feel fine for an hour or two after the crash, making them decide not to seek treatment. However, a day or two later, they can wake up with a severe headache from a brain bleed or similar brain injury. Waiting for medical treatment can be catastrophic. Getting prompt medical treatment after the accident ensures that any possible injury is found and treated. Many injury victims wait to receive treatment and end up with much worse injuries.
Second, you should see a medical professional after the auto accident to ensure your future legal options. A doctor stating two hours after the accident that you have a car accident injury ensures the insurance company cannot claim your injury is unrelated to the auto accident. As a precaution after any severe car accident, have a doctor look you over. After the initial visit, ensure the doctor has noted in your medical record that a car accident caused your injuries. The insurance company will review your accident medical records and see that you received prompt medical care. Also, your doctor’s professional opinion about an accident causing your injuries carries significant weight.
Speak To A Car Accident Attorney
You were just shaken up in a serious car accident and may want to just focus on healing and your loved ones. It’s understandable if you don’t even think about talking to an attorney, but you should.
Ask yourself this question: Did someone else possibly cause the accident? Then, ask yourself if you’re injured. You should talk to a car accident lawyer if you can answer ‘maybe’ to both questions. An auto accident caused by another person means you should receive compensation for your medical bills, lost work time, and pain and suffering.
A skilled lawyer working for you ensures your claim has the best outcome. A car accident attorney will fight to prove that another party’s negligence caused your injuries. Then, they will accurately estimate your damages and demand fair compensation from the liable party’s insurance company.
Attempting to negotiate your settlement after a severe crash rarely goes well. You need an experienced personal injury lawyer to extract the most compensation from the at-fault party. Your attorney knows how to negotiate with difficult insurance companies.
Call Your Insurance Company
You must contact your insurance company within a reasonable time to report the car accident. You don’t have to tell them who you think is at fault or too many details. Just give them the facts of the car accident and other involved parties' names and contact information.
Depending on your coverage, your insurance company can initially pay for your damaged vehicle and possibly some of your damages. If another party hits you, your insurance company will eventually seek reimbursement from the other driver’s insurance provider.
Provide Your Auto Accident Attorney With Evidence
Did you take any photos and videos after the car accident? This potentially significant evidence may help prove who caused the crash. Taking pictures and videos of various aspects of the accident can help to show that another party’s negligence or wrongful actions led to the crash.
For example, your lawyer and accident reconstructionists can use photos of the vehicles’ positions after the accident to prove how the crash occurred. Photos and videos of the vehicle damages and any detached vehicle debris can also be helpful to illustrate how the crash occurred.
Visual evidence of the general crash scene can also reveal how the accident occurred. Pictures of your injuries illustrate their progression and provide insight into how the injuries happened and their impact on your daily life.
Follow Your Doctor’s Treatment Plan
Getting immediate medical attention after a car accident is always vital. However, you must also closely follow your doctor’s treatment plan. Doing so means you will recover as fast as possible. Also, the other driver’s insurance company will note if you skip doctor’s appointments or otherwise don’t follow your doctor’s orders. Not following the treatment plan will lead the insurance adjuster to question your injuries and offer less compensation.
Consider Additional Post-Accident Effects
It’s common after a severe car accident to treat the initial injuries and pain. Those may heal after a few weeks or months. However, many auto accident victims grapple with secondary health issues later, including potential mental and emotional trauma, such as PTSD.
Even a relatively minor crash can trigger substantial mental and emotional issues with many accident victims. Mental effects from your car accident can make driving or being in a car difficult. You can suffer sleepless nights, anxiety, and even depression.
It’s essential to seek assistance from licensed mental health professionals or support groups to manage your secondary health effects. If you experience mental and emotional trauma from the car accident, your settlement compensation should cover this form of pain and suffering.
Don’t Talk About Your Case
You shouldn’t discuss your accident case with others except for your attorney and close family. Posting about an auto accident claim on social media can lead to issues that negatively affect your compensation. It’s best to avoid posting on social media until you resolve your claim. Insurance companies are known to check an injured person’s social media feeds to see if they are doing any activities that cast doubt on their injuries.
What Can A Car Accident Lawyer Get For Your Injuries?
The above mentioned steps will support your recovery and ensure you receive fair compensation for your losses. But how much can your auto accident lawyer get in your settlement? It depends on many factors. One car accident settlement can be worth a lot, and another not as much. Common factors in accident claims that affect compensation include:
- How severe are your injuries? Someone with a serious head injury will receive more compensation than a person with a broken arm or leg. Head injuries are potentially catastrophic, so the case value usually rises significantly.
- How much work time have you lost? Losing months or years of earnings will
- Increase the value of your case. On the other hand, your claim is worth less if you were out of work for only two weeks.
- Is your future income-earning ability affected? Specific severe injuries may cause a long-term or even permanent disability that affects your ability to earn income. Your auto accident attorney will consult with medical professionals to understand if your injury will make it to where you cannot work or work in the same capacity as before the accident. Your lost earning capacity compensation depends on your occupation, education, experience, age, and other factors.
- How severe is your pain and suffering? Auto accident injuries and medical treatments can be painful, and your discomfort has monetary value. Your attorney will negotiate compensation for the most pain and suffering based on the type and severity of injury.
- How much insurance coverage? Many personal auto insurance policies have relatively low coverage limits, such as $30,000 or $50,000 for bodily injury. Obtaining more compensation may be challenging unless the person has significant assets.
The compensation for auto accident injuries also depends on whether the case is settled or goes to trial. A settlement provides you with a guaranteed amount of compensation minus legal and other expenses. The amount may be less than the full case value. You might receive more if you go to court, but you also may receive nothing. This is why most auto accident claims end with a settlement.
How Much Can You Receive In Your Car Accident Claim?
The above actions will produce the best result for your car accident claim. However, how much money you can receive for your losses depends on many factors. Some auto accident claims are worth six or seven figures, and others are worth much less. A car accident attorney will review your accident and injuries and provide an approximate range for the value of your case
Your auto accident claim’s value depends on these factors:
- How severe your injuries are: A car accident claim’s value depends on whether you have a minor or severe injury. A serious head injury will require extensive treatment and rehabilitation, possibly for years. However, a broken ankle will probably heal after several months.
- The amount of medical expenses: People with severe injuries have much higher medical bills than those who only visit the doctor once or twice after an accident. You can have a higher case value if you are hospitalized and require surgery and other ongoing medical interventions to reach maximum medical improvement. For example, a paralysis victim may need hundreds of thousands of medical care just in the first year and tens of thousands every subsequent year.
- Who was at fault: Your case value is higher if the other driver was at fault for the crash. However, you may not receive as much for your losses if you were partially at fault.
- How much-lost income you have: A serious injury may leave you cannot work for months or years. You cannot work in the same occupation again. Your auto accident attorney will work with economists and employment specialists to understand the value of the work you cannot do in the future. You also are likely owed compensation for your past and current lost earnings.
- How much property damage do you have? Was your car totaled? You may be entitled to full compensation with a new vehicle. You can receive less if the car was only damaged.
- Your auto accident attorney: Most accident victims obtain more money if they retain a car accident lawyer from the beginning of their case. Attorneys know how to value a claim and negotiate the most money from the insurance company. Negotiating your settlement without a lawyer is unwise, especially if you have a serious or catastrophic injury.
Talk to a car accident attorney in a free consultation to understand your case’s value. They’ll also tell you if the case will likely lead to compensation. Personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning they are paid only from your compensation. They do not get paid unless you win your case.
Contact An Auto Accident Attorney Now
A severe car accident can devastate your life. When another party caused the crash, you should immediately speak to a car accident attorney. You may be eligible for many forms of compensation, including medical expenses, lost work time, pain and suffering, property damage, and mental anguish. Personal injury attorneys work by a contingency arrangement, so you don’t pay out of pocket for your legal bills. Contact an auto accident lawyer in your city today. They receive payment only if they win your case.