When getting into a car to go somewhere, nobody sets out to get in an accident. It is, however, an unfortunate reality of life. With roads continuing to increase in terms of traffic congestion, a number of major and minor accidents are occurring every day. If you find yourself to be the unfortunate victim of such an event, there are some things you can do to alleviate the financial and emotional stress of the ensuing days and weeks. At the end of the day, Lexington car accident lawyers are able to help navigate the often complex legal waters that accompany a collision as well.
What to do After an Accident
As soon are you are involved in a collision, no matter how major or minor it might be, you will inevitably go through a range of emotions all at once. The important thing is to remain calm and assess the situation. You will want to attend to yourself and determine to what extent you may or may not be injured. This goes for any passengers who may have been in the car as well.
Write Down Notes and Take Photos
After an accident, if you are able, it is advisable that you write down some detailed notes about everything that occurred leading up to and following the accident. Do not worry about whether or not the information is actually important or not. Just write it down. As you know, humans tend to forget the details not long after an event occurs, especially in a stressful situation. This is why you should down everything you can possibly remember. Alternatively, if you have a smartphone with a recording feature, feel free to use that to just speak into.
Speaking of smartphones – if you happen to have a functioning one with you after the accident, use it to snap a bunch of photos. Go at it from every possible angle in order to preserve evidence from the scene. This will go a long way towards proving fault, should it be in question, and towards getting you financial compensation should you qualify based on the type of accident that occurred.
Make Sure the Police are Called
This is an important point. Everyone thinks to contact the police in a major accident, but often neglect this fact when it is perceived to be a minor collision. The police need to be called to the scene regardless in order to generate a police report. It is this report that you will be useful in establishing matters of fault. It is also possible that both parties could be seen as responsible for the accident, at which time the police report may be used to assign percentage blame to each of the drivers. This is how a determination of financial compensation will be made in the end.
Contact a Lawyer
It is also important to call a lawyer as soon after an accident as possible. There are simply too many moving pieces to take care of after a collision, such as dealing with hospitals and insurance companies. You will want to focus on your own recovery and rest easy knowing that a professional and capable attorney is there fighting for you behind the scenes. You may be entitled to financial compensation. This is certainly no reason to rejoice at being in an accident, but it is to be viewed as a way to take care of yourself and provide for your financial needs.
Contact a lawyer in Lexington for a consultation if you have been involved in a car accident.