One split second on the road can change everything. After a serious car accident, the aftermath can feel overwhelming, but your next steps are critical. Safeguarding your health, your finances, and your legal rights should be a top priority. Scroll down to learn more about what to do after a catastrophic car accident. By taking swift, informed action, you can protect your recovery rights and your future.
Steps to Take After a Serious Car Crash
Call 911
Immediately call 911 to summon help to the accident scene following a catastrophic car accident. While you wait for help to arrive, check yourself and others for injuries. If your vehicle is in an unsafe spot and can be moved, move it to a safe area nearby. Otherwise, leave it where it is.
Gather Evidence
If you can, gather evidence at the accident site or ask someone else to do so for you. Take photographs and video of the accident scene, damage to both vehicles, your injuries, the road conditions, and the weather conditions. If there are any witnesses, ask for their names and contact information so your attorney can contact them later. Witnesses can be helpful to car accident claims because they are unbiased parties.
Seek Medical Attention
Seek medical attention immediately. Even if you think your injuries aren’t that serious, you should go to the emergency department for a thorough examination. Many serious injuries have delayed symptoms that can rapidly worsen without prompt treatment. Seeking immediate medical attention also demonstrates that your injuries were caused by your accident and not an intervening incident, and can help protect your ability to recover compensation.
Seek Legal Help
A catastrophic car accident can cause significant injuries, expensive medical bills, lost wages, and other losses. You should consult an experienced car accident attorney as soon as possible for help. Your lawyer can handle all aspects of the claims process and evidence collection while you concentrate on recovering from your injuries.
Mind the Statute of Limitations
Under R.S.Mo. § 516.120, you must file a lawsuit for a car accident within five years. While this might seem like you have plenty of time, it’s best to get help quickly. Evidence can be lost as time passes. Reaching out to an attorney as soon as possible is a much better idea than waiting until you’re near the deadline.
Don’t Provide a Statement to the At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Company
Insurance adjusters often seem like they care about you and your injuries, but you must remember that their loyalties lie with their employers. Adjusters strive to minimize how much their companies might have to pay out in claims. Don’t agree to give a recorded statement to any insurance representative from the other driver’s insurer or sign documents they send without consulting an attorney.
Keep a Detailed Journal
As soon as you can, write down everything you remember from your accident, including the moments that immediately preceded it. Continue journaling about your injuries, your pain, and how the accident has impacted you. Keep records from your medical treatment, including bills, therapy session records, and diagnostic information. Document information about activities you can no longer participate in that you previously enjoyed. Rate your pain each day, but don’t exaggerate. Talk about how it affects your life.
Stay Off Social Media
Insurance companies comb through social media posts to try to find something they can use against accident victims. Don’t share anything about your accident online, and don’t post photos or share information about your daily activities. If you can, deactivate your social media accounts until your case is over.
Consult the Accident Attorneys at the Law Offices of Bryan Musgrave
Dealing with the aftermath of a catastrophic car accident can be overwhelming. When you’re facing significant injuries that might be permanently disabling, trying to simultaneously handle a car accident claim can be difficult. In that situation, it’s best to talk to the experienced car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Bryan Musgrave. We offer free consultations and have decades of experience successfully recovering compensation for car accident victims. To learn more about your rights and how we can help protect you, contact us today by calling 417-322-2222 or sending us a message online.