Auto Accidents: What to do if you are in an accident
Tennessee Injury and
Wrongful Death Lawyers
Immediately after the accident
If you are involved in an automobile accident, stop. It is advised
to not to leave the scene of an accident, even a minor one, without
first stopping to see whether there are damages or injuries. A person
may be criminally prosecuted for leaving the scene of a car accident.
Next, look for injuries, and call the police. Call an ambulance, if
you need to. If you are unable to call, ask somebody else to call the
police to report the accident and tell the police the number of people
who are hurt, so that enough emergency personnel respond to the scene.
If possible, notify other drivers to proceed with caution by
setting out flares, turning on your hazard lights, or raising the hood
or trunk of your vehicle.
You and the other party should exchange information, including the
other driver's name, address, phone number, drivers license number,
license plate number, insurance carrier, policy number, and agent's name
and telephone number. You should also give the same information to the
other driver.
Obtain identifying information from any witnesses to the collision,
and ask the police officer who investigates the scene to provide you
with a business card and the "incident number," so that you can request
an accident report.
You should also take pictures and notes about where and how the
accident happened, road conditions, speed limits, traffic control
devices, weather, lighting, and what the cars were doing at the time of
the accident and the damage to the same.
Even if you think you are responsible, do not say so. The other
driver may share the responsibility or other factors may have led to the
accident. An admission of fault may be used against you later at another
time.
When the police arrive
Cooperate fully with the police when they arrive, and stay at the
accident scene until the police notify you that you can leave. When you
talk to the police, tell them only the facts of what occurred, and do
not draw any conclusions. Do not admit responsibility for the collision
to the other drivers, passengers, witnesses or the police.
Responsibility or liability is a legal matter that is not always easy to
determine. Tell the police of any injuries and witnesses.
Soon after the accident
Photograph your injuries and the damages to your vehicle. Gather
all automobile insurance policies in your household for review by an
attorney, and inform your insurance company of the collision. Obtain
legal advice before filling out insurance papers, giving recorded
statements to any insurance company, or meeting with any insurance
company representative. It is especially important to talk to an
attorney before giving a statement to the other driver's insurance
company. Do not sign any check or document from any insurance company
without first consulting a skilled personal injury attorney. Contact
our firm as soon as possible.
Consult a doctor as soon as possible. You may experience a time
lapse between the accident and full awareness of the extent of your
injuries. Certain damages may not be apparent until sometime after an
accident. By not seeing a physician, you risk delaying your treatment
and aggravating your injury. Even minor soreness can be an indication of
a more serious injury. Therefore, if you believe there is any chance you
may have been hurt, you should see a doctor right away. An insurance
company may argue that the failure of a person to see a doctor right
away indicates that an injury must have resulted from an unrelated event
after the collision. The longer you wait to seek medical treatment, the
harder it will be to connect the injuries to the accident. Be sure to
notify a physician of any memory loss, headaches, blood or fluid in your
ear, dizziness, ringing in your ears, disorientation, nausea, or
confusion.
Later
Within a few days of the collision, record all important
information, license numbers, and the year, make and color of all
vehicles involved, and the details of the accident, including date,
time, location, road conditions, traffic controls, and weather
conditions. If you have not yet been in touch with an attorney, you
should talk to a lawyer that has the experience, dedication and skill to
maximize your compensation and minimize the frustration, delay and
confusion that you may experience when you make an injury claim.
Note all of your losses, including medical bills, reasonable
transportation costs having to do with the injuries, future medical
treatment, lost wages, future loss of earnings, the effect on your
family, and the effect on your life. An experienced attorney can help
you identify all damages that may be connected to your accident. Call
our firm right away.
If you have been hurt in an auto accident, contact our attorneys today. We offer free initial consultations and work on a
contingent fee basis, which means that there is never a fee unless
we successfully settle your case.
For immediate assistance, call us toll-free at
1-877-871-4097.
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