When you are involved in an accident, the time immediately following is extremely critical if you are to prove that you were wronged. While you may be understandably traumatized by the accident, ensuring that either you or a trusted family member or friend complete some important tasks could make the difference between getting a fair settlement offer from the at-fault driver's insurance carrier and just a token sum. You never know when the worst will happen and it pays to be prepared so read below to get more information about the steps to take after your accident that could help you prove your personal injury claim.
Gather Evidence
If you are able to do the following, it is in your best interest to do so. If not, at least ensure that you get someone to assist you in taking the following steps.
The Accident Report
If your accident was responded to by law enforcement personnel, you can probably expect that an accident report will be filed by the officer. When you are interviewed by the officers, make sure that you state why the other driver is at fault, such as "the other driver ran the red light". Be sure to report other suspicions as well, such as the smell of alcohol on the other driver. These reports often contain the responding officer's opinion of the cause of the accident and the contact information for all parties, making it an important document for evidentiary purposes. Make sure that you follow up and procure your own copy of the accident report.
Talk to a personal injury attorney for more information.
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13 January 2017
Like many people, I once found learning about law very intimidating. My brother went to law school and I remember glancing through a few of his books and wondering if I was actually reading English due to all of the legal jargon in them! However, when I ended up in a sticky legal situation due to accidentally breaking a small law I didn't know existed, I realized that I needed to learn more about the law, so I could make sure to follow it precisely in the future. My brother helped to break down some complicated legal concepts to me, and I have since been studying up online. I want to post what I have learned and continue to learn about law in the future on my new blog, so my knowledge cannot only help myself, but also help others!