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Steps You Should Take After a Car Accident

As evidenced by the number of
car accidents in America each year, which range well into the thousands, even the best
defensive drivers on our roads can get blindsided by a reckless motorist.
The erratic maneuverings of an
intoxicated driver or someone who is texting behind the wheel are simply too difficult to
predict and a collision could be unavoidable. In case you ever find yourself
on the unfortunate receiving end of a driver’s bad decisions, remember
these steps to take after a car accident. If you do, not only should everything
should go over smoother but also your chances of recovering proper compensation
should increase.

After you have been in a car accident, try to keep these steps in mind:

  1. Safety: If your vehicle is still operant and you are in good health to do so, move
    it out of traffic and pull over. The last thing you need is another collision
    with your car so don’t worry about “disrupting evidence”
    and just get it out of harm’s way.
  2. Care: Are you and your passengers okay? What about the people in the other cars?
    Before you think about insurance policies, ensure everyone is safe and
    sound. If they are not, you need to call for emergency medical responders
    immediately.
  3. Enforcement: The police need to know whenever a dangerous car accident has occurred,
    especially when there is significant damage to vehicles and injuries to
    passengers. Get them on the scene so you can have a copy of their report.
    They will also ensure the other driver doesn’t attempt a hit-and-run.
  4. Evidence: The evidence of your crash is going to be all around you. Now is the time
    to do what you can to gather as much of it as you can. This means eyewitness
    testimonies, photographs from multiple angles, insurance information from
    all parties involved, and whatever else you think could be helpful.
  5. Treatment: If you did not require emergency care immediately after the accident, that
    doesn’t mean you should assume you are 100% healthy. See your physician
    as soon as you can for a checkup. There could be minor injuries you barely
    notice now that could devolve into serious problems later if you allow
    them to go untreated.
  6. Representation: You will need to tell your insurance adjusters sooner than later that you
    were in an accident. You are afforded the time to get professional legal
    representation before you do so, however. With a personal injury lawyer
    in your corner, you don’t have to worry about saying the wrong thing
    at the wrong time and inadvertently shifting some of the liability onto yourself.

At
Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci, our Joplin personal injury attorneys are ready and willing to put their
140+ years of combined legal and trial experience to good use for your case. We’ve secured
millions for our clients and have an AV® Preeminent™ Rating by Martindale-Hubbell®! Call
417.313.1130 today. We also have offices in Springfield, Missouri.

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