While most of the time when you are driving down the road things will go as planned, there are other times when another driver may be driving recklessly or be impaired due to drugs or alcohol. When these situations arise, the result is often a car accident. Since many of these accidents are very serious, they can impact your life now and for many years to follow. As a result, you may find yourself deciding to pursue a personal injury lawsuit to gain compensation for your injuries and to pay medical bills, replace lost income, and help you with the pain and suffering that has resulted from the accident. To make sure you get through these situations with the best possible results, work with a car accident attorney who handles these cases on a regular basis and can protect your rights each step of the way.
Remaining at the Accident Scene
When you are a victim in a car accident, always remain at the scene so that police can talk to you about what happened. By speaking to police, you can provide key details of the accident that will allow them to gain a better idea of who was at fault for the accident. This will be crucial, since police investigating a car accident are required to fill out an accident report stating who they believe to be responsible for the accident. Once this is done, your personal injury attorney in Los Angeles will be able to use what is contained in the report to bolster your case, putting increased pressure on the other driver’s attorney and insurance company to quickly settle the case.
Calling 9-1-1
As soon as you can after the accident takes place, always call 9-1-1 to make sure police and medical personnel come to the scene as fast as possible. This will serve many functions, one of which includes having your injuries assessed and treated. In addition, the scene will also be made much more safe and secure for everyone, preventing the chance another accident takes place before the scene is cleared.
Receiving Medical Treatment
If there is one thing you should always do after a car accident, it is receive medical treatment for any injuries you sustained. Not only should this be done at the scene by letting paramedics examine you, but also at a hospital where doctors can perform additional tests to verify the extent of your injuries. Should you decide to refuse treatment at the scene or fail to see a doctor within 48 hours of the accident, the other driver’s insurance company and attorney will use this as evidence against you to say you suffered no injuries as a result of the accident. By allowing doctors to examine you soon after the accident, any injuries you sustained will be treated and documented in your medical records.
Obtaining Driver Information
If your injuries do not prevent you from doing so, always obtain as much information as possible from the other driver involved in the accident. This should include such things as name, address, phone number, email address, insurance and driver’s license information, license plate number, and the make and model of their vehicle. By having this information and giving it to your attorney from West Coast Trial Lawyers, additional details will be easier to obtain should they be needed at a later date.
Take Photos and Videos of the Scene
While at the scene, it will be very important for you to take as many photos and videos of various aspects of the scene as possible. For example, always start by taking photos and videos of the damage sustained by all vehicles involved in the accident. Along with this, try to have photos or videos of such injuries as cuts or bruises, personal or other property that was damaged, and such aspects as nearby traffic signals, stop signs, and skid marks on the road. The more evidence you have to give to your personal injury attorney in Los Angeles, the better chance you will have of winning your lawsuit and gaining the compensation needed for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Never Admit Fault
When you are speaking to police at the accident scene, to the other driver, or even doctors at a hospital, you will need to be very careful what you say. Should you say anything that gives others the impression you are admitting fault for the accident, your lawsuit will become much more complex and challenging for your car accident attorney. As an example, should you in the course of giving police your account of the accident say something such as “I’m sorry,” chances are it will be included in the accident report as an admission of guilt on your part. Should this happen, it will be almost impossible to win your lawsuit. Therefore, while you should be as cooperative as possible in these situations, also remember the consequences of your words and actions. Therefore, say as little as possible until you are able to consult with an experienced and knowledgeable personal injury attorney in Los Angeles.
Speak to Witnesses
When car accidents take place, witness testimony can be crucial to determining the outcome of a personal injury case. Because of this, always speak to any witnesses at the scene who may be able to shed light on what happened and give credence to your account of the accident. When speaking with witnesses, never rely on just trying to remember what they tell you at the scene. Instead, write down what they tell you, or better yet use your smartphone to record your conversation with them. By doing so, nothing will be left to chance, since this recording will make it difficult for the witnesses to change their story. Once you have the witness statement, hand it over to your attorney from West Coast Trial Lawyers. By having witness statements, your attorney can examine the information and compare it with that which is contained in the police accident report. Should discrepancies arise, your attorney can contact and interview the witnesses, and can also use the information to let auto accident reconstruction analysts figure out what actually occurred.
Be Careful if on Social Media
If you are like most people, you are on social media on a regular basis. While this is fine most of the time, it may not be the best thing to do if you have filed a personal injury lawsuit regarding your auto accident. In many situations, accident victims get on social media and post angry comments about the other driver or damaging photos of themselves that depict them as not being severely injured. If either of these things happen, they can severely damage your case. Rather than let this happen, always take the advice of your car accident attorney and stay off social media until your lawsuit is resolved.
Since you will need expert legal guidance to come out on top in these situations, always contact West Coast Trial Lawyers for additional information regarding your legal rights in these cases. By scheduling a consultation immediately following your accident, you will be able to discuss your case in detail and gain peace of mind.