It is hard to know what to do after a car accident. Making the right decisions after a crash is critical to the success of a car accident lawsuit. If you have been involved in a car accident and suffered an injury, consider taking the following steps to protect yourself and your case.
Get to Safety
First things first, get to safety after a car accident. If your vehicle is still mobile, move it to the side of the road or an area that does not impede traffic. After making sure you and others involved in the accident are safe, start taking steps to protect your legal claim to recovery.
Call 911 and Make an Accident Report
Once it is safe to do so, call first responders to the scene of the accident. Calling 911 ensures that any injured person gets medical attention quickly and is transported to the hospital. You should always get a physical examination from a medical professional after a car crash. See a doctor even if you do not think that you are seriously hurt. It is critical to get a medically evaluation after a car accident, especially because some injuries, like internal bleeding and organ damage, do not present symptoms immediately and can become very serious if not promptly diagnosed and treated.
California law requires anyone who has been in a traffic accident to make a report to the Department of Motor Vehicles within 10 days. You must complete an SR-1 report if someone was injured, killed, or the accident caused property damage over $10,000.
Start Collecting Evidence
You must begin collecting evidence immediately. It is important to your legal claim to preserve evidence quickly. Many types of evidence can erode fast. For example, it is crucial to collect the names and contact information of any eyewitnesses and get their sides of the story before their memory of the accident fades.
To get the best results for your accident case, start collecting the following:
- The other driver’s name, contact information, and insurance company.
- Pictures and videos of property damage.
- The other driver’s license plate information.
- Pictures and videos of the accident scene, including skid marks, damaged vegetation, damaged road signs, and other evidence of damage.
- Collect and organize medical records and bills.
Call a California Car Accident Lawyer Today
Contact an accident attorney immediately after a crash. Getting in touch with an attorney will help you protect your legal rights after a crash. You should never speak to an insurance adjuster or provide a statement to anyone representing the other side of the case without first speaking to an attorney. Insurance companies often use underhanded tactics to avoid paying accident victims’ settlements. Having an attorney represent your interest shows the insurance company that you will not be bullied into accepting an unsatisfactory settlement amount or pressured to do anything against your interest.
The personal injury lawyers at the Kuvara Law Firm have dedicated their practice to helping injured Californians get the financial recovery they deserve after an accident. We want to help you, too. Contact our office today at 1-800-4-INJURY or through our online contact form to schedule your free initial consultation.
