Car accidents happen and if you drive regularly, there's a not insignificant chance that you will be involved in one. Even if you are an extremely careful driver yourself, it is impossible to account for the actions of others.
That's why the car accident statistics are quite staggering.
According to Driver Knowledge, around 6 million car accidents take place in the United States each year. If that number was not troubling enough, which it is, it is also worth noting here that around 3 million people each year sustain injuries from those accidents.
Unfortunately, taking on risk is an inherent part of being on the road.
If you ever do find yourself involved in a car accident, it's important that you are aware of the steps you need to take. In some cases, you may even have to enlist the services of a car accident lawyer.
The Crucial Mistakes to Avoid
In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, it can be difficult to get your wits about you. As you're recovering from the shock of what just happened, you could end up making some crucial mistakes.
According to The Balance, the first significant mistake you could end up making is simply driving away from the scene of the accident. The site also reminds drivers that stopping when you are involved in an accident is your legal obligation. Neglecting it could easily lead to big problems down the line.
You must also refrain from taking responsibility for the accident. Follow the due process from here on out and allow the authorities and other relevant parties to sort things out.
Check How Everyone Is Doing and Get to Safety
As long as you are mindful of avoiding the potential mistakes above, you can now take action properly after a car accident has taken place.
Start by checking yourself. See if you have sustained significant injuries of any kind and then look to see how your passengers are doing.
After checking on the status of everyone in your vehicle, you can step out and see how the people in the other car have fared.
By the way, if you or anyone at the scene has sustained a serious injury, be sure to call 911 right away. Avoid moving anyone who's been injured as they may be harmed further if you do something wrong.
If no one has been injured, do what you can to get everyone to safety. You should also try to move your car out of the way if possible.
Contact the Authorities
Even if no one was injured, you should still get in touch with the authorities. According to Allstate, there are some states in the country where people involved in a car accident are legally required to contact the police.
Wait for the police to arrive and allow them to handle the situation. They will complete an accident report and also take note of what has happened.
Obtain Important Information
With the authorities now on the scene, you can move ahead to the next step. What you need to do next is to obtain the pieces of information pertinent to the accident.
Details that you need to secure from the other party involved in the car accident include their full name, contact details including their address, the name of their insurance, and their policy number. You should also take down the license plate of the other vehicle and provide a detailed description of it.
In all likelihood, the other party will seek these pieces of information from you as well.
Don't forget to get the details of the accident too. You should write down where it happened and when it took place.
Seek out information from the police officers by asking for their names and badge numbers. You should also ask for a copy of the accident report.
Speak to any witnesses who may have been at the scene and ask for their contact details. Lastly, take pictures of the accident scene as they could come in very handy later on.
When Is the Time to Bring a Personal Injury Lawyer into the Picture?
The steps listed above account for all the things you should and shouldn't do after being in a car accident. In most cases, following them should be enough to get this whole matter figured out in a timely and orderly manner.
There are situations that you may be ill-equipped to handle on your own however. In those cases, the assistance of a lawyer can prove vital.
When Trying to Obtain a Larger Settlement
If you were badly hurt, you should strongly consider hiring a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles or whichever city you are in. Per CarInsurance.org, hiring a lawyer may not be necessary if you only have smaller medical bills to cover. Securing the services of a lawyer may not be worth the time and money in that case.
However, if it's a serious injury, the settlement being offered by the insurance company may not be sufficient for the medical expenses alone. You should also consider seeking a larger settlement if the accident led to you becoming permanently injured or caused you to miss work.
Your insurance company is probably not just going to give you the larger amount of money you are seeking without a fight and that is why it's important to have a lawyer by your side. They can help you navigate this complex process and eventually land the compensation you deserve.
When Trying to Prove Liability
Let's say that you were part of a complicated car accident - one where it's difficult for all the parties to get on the same page when it comes to identifying who's at fault. To ensure that they don't have to provide a large payout, your insurance company may argue that you were the one at fault.
In that scenario, hiring a car accident lawyer is a must as they can help prove that you were not the one who caused the accident. Lawyers are more experienced at handling police reports and witness testimonies and they will have more success building a case in your favor.
When Trying to Determine if You Should Settle
Lastly, a personal injury lawyer can help you out by telling you when you should keep fighting for your case or when you should settle. As noted by this article on USA Today, lawyers will be able to tell you if settling out of your court is the move that will be most beneficial.
Not all drivers may be open to the idea of settling and that's why it's so important to have a lawyer around. The lawyer can present the facts of the case and make it easier for you to understand why settling is your best move.
As unsatisfying as settling may be, that beats moving forward with a case, investing your time and money into it only for it to not turn out in your favor at the end.
Conclusion
Being involved in a car accident is a wholly unpleasant experience, but by following the right steps, you should be able to move forward from it relatively easily. Even if things do get more complicated, you can still seek assistance from a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles to resolve matters.
If you require expert legal representation yourself, please don't hesitate to contact West Coast Trial Lawyers for additional information.
