Information to Collect After an Accident
If you have been involved in an accident, it is important to remain calm and collected and take steps to preserve important evidence that can be crucial to your financial well being. Granted, you may panic or be confused after an accident.
However, with a few tips on your sleeve, you can know what to do and improve your chances of getting compensation. The evidence at the scene of the accident will help your attorney build your case.
What to Do After an Accident
Below are five things you can do after an auto accident to protect your rights and interests:
i) Move to safety
If you can still drive your vehicle, pull it over for safety. Moving the car out of traffic can help you avoid another accident and further damage. Apart from this, you will also be able to safely exit the vehicle. See this blog.
ii) Use flashers or flares
If you have an emergency kit with flashers, cones, flares or a similar warning device, use the items. You can also use your hazard lights but these will only work for a period of time. The flares will inform other drivers on the road of the accident at the scene, warning them to approach with caution.
iii) Call for medical emergency services
If anyone involved in the accident is injured, call for emergency medical services immediately. This applies even if the injuries seem small or insignificantly. Some accident injuries may not seem serious on the outside, but usually are. For example, someone may have suffered internal bleeding but on the outside, they may look fine.
iv) Don't talk about the accident
Apart from your auto accident attorney, you should not talk to anyone on the scene about the accident. Also, avoid being remorseful or saying sorry to the people involved in the accident. Your genuine concern and empathy may be wrongly interpreted to mean admission of guilt. Help anyone at the scene but don't be remorseful. Check out http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/litigation for the definition of litigation.
v) Get important information
Exchange important information with the driver involved in the accident. Before you leave the scene, make sure you write down the insurance company, agent contact information, policy number and vehicle registration number of the other driver. Your accident lawyer from www.siegfriedandjensen.com/ may need the information about the driver at fault to help you get compensation. Also, provide the same information about you to the driver.
The above are some of the things you should do after an accident to protect your interests. Make sure you hire an attorney to help you get the right compensation for your damages or injuries.