When you first suffer devastating injuries in an accident on the highway, you may be scared and unsure of what to do next. Your next steps could significantly impact the outcome of your insurance claim and a civil lawsuit against the liable party.
As soon as you have an opportunity to do so, make sure you get an experienced Atlanta car accident lawyer working for you so you can get the legal guidance and support you need when you need it most. In the meantime, here are some of the most important things to do after being involved in a highway accident.
Steps to Take After an Accident on a Highway
Immediately after your highway accident, there are steps you can take to start building a powerful case against the liable party:
Try to Move the Vehicle to the Side of the Road
The most important thing to do immediately after your highway accident is to get yourself and your vehicle over to the side of the road. Far too many highway accidents involve multi-vehicle pile-ups caused by a series of collisions that began with a single crash.
If you can move your vehicle over to the side of the road, make sure you do so. However, if your car is destroyed, nonfunctioning, or your injuries will prevent you from doing so, instead, get yourself to safety. Make sure you move over to the side of the road so you do not put yourself at risk of subsequent injuries.
Call 9-1-1 and Law Enforcement Officials
Next, be sure to call the police and emergency responders. Many people want to avoid getting law enforcement involved unless necessary.
Whether you wanted to avoid filing an insurance claim or the liable party was violating traffic laws, contacting the police and law enforcement officials will almost always be in your best interests. In some cases, if there is significant property damage or someone suffered a severe injury, you are legally required to contact the police and report the accident.
However, getting the police involved comes with several benefits. Police will file an accident or crash report containing essential details about how the accident might have occurred and who might be responsible for causing it. This will prove valuable when you pursue an insurance or civil claim against the liable party.
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Start Documenting the Highway Accident Scene
While you wait for emergency responders and law enforcement officials to arrive at the scene of your highway accident, do what you can to begin documenting the collision and gathering evidence to support your case.
If your injuries prevent you from doing so, do not worry. Your lawyer will thoroughly investigate and gather as much evidence as possible. However, if you are physically capable of taking photos and videos, speaking with witnesses, and writing down how the accident occurred, be sure to do so.
This evidence can only help you win your case against the liable party. The more proof you obtain at the accident scene, the easier it will be for accident reconstructionists to re-create how the accident occurred and provide additional evidence to support your case.
Obtain Medical Attention
Even if you think your injuries are not that serious, it is vital to obtain medical attention after a highway accident. Your injuries could be invisible, or you may have adrenaline coursing through your body that will only reveal the extent of your injuries once your body calms down.
If you wait for treatment, your condition could rapidly deteriorate and result in temporary or permanent disability. When you get medical help from the start, you are also creating valuable evidence that can be used to prove the extent of your injuries and why you are seeking a specific amount of compensation in your insurance and civil claims.
Contact a Highway Accident Lawyer for Help
As soon as you can, be sure to contact a highway accident attorney for help. You may not know what your next steps should be, how to get the liable party to pay, or who is responsible for causing your accident. Your dedicated highway accident lawyer will be fighting for your right to justice.
We will also have access to evidence you might have difficulty obtaining, such as traffic cam footage, surveillance from nearby homes or businesses, and depositions from witnesses. Once you have a car accident lawyer on your side, you can devote your time and energy towards healing while we handle the legalities of your case.
Go Over Your Damages with Your Personal Injury Attorney
When you have a highway accident attorney working for you, be prepared to go over how your life has been affected by the injuries you endured. You have the right to compensation for financial and non-financial losses.
However, since non-financial losses do not have set monetary values, it will be more challenging to determine their value. Examples of potentially recoverable damages after your car accident could include:
- Lost wages
- Reduced quality of life
- Medical bills, equipment, and devices
- Future medical care
- Diminished earning capacity
- Loss of employee benefits
- Loss of consortium
- Physical pain and suffering
- Disfigurement and skin scarring
- Vehicle repairs and personal property damages
Prepare to Negotiate with the Insurance Company
Once your attorney knows how much your claim is worth, if the liable party has insurance coverage, your lawyer will file a claim with the insurer. Negotiating with the insurance company can prove challenging. However, with an experienced car accident attorney advocating for you, the insurance company will know how seriously you are taking your case and that you will not stop until the insurer compensates you for your damages.
If your insurance settlement does not cover your damages in full, you may need to bring your case to court. If you can get the insurance company to compensate you for every loss, you may be able to avoid going to trial altogether.
Get Help with Your Highway Accident Claim, and Call in the Strong Arm
Although pursuing legal action after a highway accident can seem overwhelming, with the right legal advocate on your side, it does not have to be. A highway accident lawyer at John Foy & Associates is here to help you bring the liable party to justice and maximize the compensation you recover.
Please find out how much your claim is worth and what is next for your claim against the liable party when you contact our team for a free, no-obligation consultation. You can reach us through our convenient contact form or phone to start working on your case as soon as today.
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