Taking the Right Steps to Help You Get Full and Fair Compensation
When you’ve been involved in any type of car, truck or motorcycle accident, whether as a driver, passenger or pedestrian, the risk of serious and catastrophic injury is great, even when the collision occurs at a relatively low rate of speed. You may be unable to work because of your injuries or you may need extensive medical treatment, including physical therapy, rehabilitation or reconstructive surgery. You may experience chronic pain, so much that you have to forsake many of the activities you love. You may find it difficult or impossible to fully enjoy your relationships with family members. For those reasons, it’s essential that you take the right steps, in the immediate aftermath of a motor vehicle accident, to protect your right to recover monetary compensation from those who caused your injuries.
Step #1—Get the Medical Attention You Need
In the moments following a motor vehicle wreck, you should only be thinking about one thing—your health. The first thing you want to do is get a sense of the extent of your injuries. Don’t push it, though. When it comes to getting the compensation you need and deserve after a motor vehicle accident, you won’t be rewarded for your bravery. Don’t try to shake off an injury and don’t try to do anything more than you can.
Unless you are at risk of further injury by staying where you are, don’t move until emergency medical personnel arrive. When they do, defer to their knowledge and expertise—they’ll be able to quickly assess whether you should try to move under your own power or whether you need assistance getting into an ambulance and going to the hospital.
Even if the EMTs tell you that you are safe to leave the scene of the accident under your own power, you want to seek immediate medical attention, either at a hospital emergency room, an urgent care facility or your primary care physician’s office. Many injuries suffered in car accidents take time to fully develop. Furthermore, the adrenalin your body produces after an accident can mask some pain or discomfort. The longer you wait to get treated, the greater the risk that you’ll be involved in another accident, or that insurance adjusters or opposing counsel will allege that your injuries were not that serious.
When you seek medical attention, be sure to tell medical personnel about everything that happened and anything that seems out of the ordinary. Don’t focus on the obvious injuries—the broken arm, for example, and neglect to tell them about the pain in your lower back. Ask them to document everything in writing.
Step # 2—Gather Information
While you are at the scene, gather as much evidence/information as you can, so that you can help your attorney prepare a personal injury claim. Get contact information from all parties involved in the accident, as well as any witnesses. Take pictures of anything that might be relevant, from injuries suffered to damage to vehicles, from road conditions to skid marks.
Step #3—Hire an Experienced Attorney
The sooner you hire a knowledgeable lawyer, the better. You probably want to do this before you notify your insurance provider, as your attorney can then be your advocate with adjusters, helping ensure that you get all the benefits to which you are entitled. A lawyer will make certain all necessary documents are timely filed and that you don’t say or do anything that will potentially compromise your rights.
Contact the Proven Personal Injury Lawyers at Bailey & Galyen
At the law offices of Bailey & Galyen, we understand how a motor vehicle accident can affect every part of your daily life. We’ll aggressively protect your rights throughout the legal process, acting as your intermediary with insurance companies and as your voice in all meetings, hearings and legal proceedings. Contact us by e-mail or 844-402-2992 at one of the convenient locations listed below. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
