You may be the world’s most careful driver, but this doesn’t mean that accidents will never happen to you. In the United States, an average of 6 million car accidents occurs per year. If that doesn’t sound alarming, imagine that 90 people die in a car accident every single day. Frequently, the typical causes of auto accidents are drug or alcohol intoxication, driving at high speeds, and reckless driving.

Things You Should Know After a Car Accident

If ever you get involved in a car accident, you must keep these two things in mind:

First, you have to STOP.

When you get into an accident, especially one that you might have caused, your very first instinct is to drive away. This is true of minor crashes, and if you are sure that no one witnessed the accident. However, it’s your legal obligation to stop whenever you’re involved in a vehicular accident. No matter how small the damages, you must cease your vehicle. Besides, driving away is an immediate admittance of guilt, and if you ever get caught, the repercussions will be huge.

Second, even if you think you’re at fault, NEVER ADMIT RESPONSIBILITY.

It happens to the best of us. When fear takes over, you might be tempted to admit responsibility, whether or not you should. Wanting to take responsibility often happens to people who only receive minor damage like a dent on the hood or a scratch. But just because you came out safe and your vehicle received minimal damage, it doesn’t immediately mean that you are at fault.

Also, if you signed an insurance policy, you should let your insurance company manage your claim. Don’t forget that you signed a contract when you applied for an insurance policy. This contract states that you should never accept responsibility or liability no matter what circumstances you are in.

Now that you finally learned the things you should know after being involved in a car accident, it is also vital that you should know what to do once you get into a car accident.

What You Need to Do After a Car Accident

Check the extent of damage or injuries.

Right after an accident, if you are capable enough to move around, try to determine whether someone needs urgent medical attention. If you find someone trapped inside a vehicle, and if you suspect that the person is severely injured, never try to move the person out. Do try to keep that person conscious until help arrives. It is also essential that you leave your vehicle as it is unless it leads to a significant traffic problem. As much as possible, wait for the authorities before you move anything from the crash scene.

Call the police.

The next thing you have to do is to call the police. No matter how minor the accident is, you have to call for law enforcement as they will help determine who was at fault. But don’t be afraid of them. Instead, treat them as an ally. The police can see things that you may have missed while doing your own investigation. Also, the police will always be impartial in their decision, so you can rest easy.

Remember, always opt for a legal accident report no matter how minor the accident is. You must also note that the only people whom you should talk to about the incident are the police, medical responders, and your insurance representative.

Get the information you need.

An accident can be stressful. You may suffer personal injuries from the incident that could keep your focus away from the crucial details of the event. During an accident, always remember: don’t forget the facts. Once the police come, give them your report as soon as possible. As mentioned above, don’t be afraid of the police. Be as honest as you can with your statement. Don’t cut anything, even if it makes you look like you’re at fault.

If you can, try to get the identities of the other party involved, their address, and phone numbers. Also, try to obtain the car description, license plate number, insurance company, and the vehicle identification number.

Take photos and recall the details of the incident.

Almost everyone has a smartphone nowadays. If you ever figure in an accident, don’t be afraid of using your phone to take photos of the incident. The images may come in handy for claims. It also serves as evidence of the collision itself. Sometimes, the other party may exaggerate their vehicle’s damage to get more out of their insurance. Also, since you have the details right, it will prove that you’re a careful and mindful driver.

Inform your insurance company.

Once the authorities finalize their report, they can submit their report to your insurance company. You may also send it yourself, so you must contact them right after the incident. There are several methods you can use to submit a claim. You can file Total Loss claims, Not-At Fault claims, or At-Fault claims.

For a vehicle damaged beyond repair, you can file for a Total Loss claim. Instead of spending your own money to pay for repairs, you can file a Not-at Fault claim. Lastly, if it was proven that you were at fault, you can submit an At-Fault claim.

Hire a car accident lawyer.

If you have no idea when and how to make your claim, or if you feel like the terms aren’t fair, a lawyer can help you. To prevent costly mistakes, hiring an attorney as early as possible from firms is a good option. Car accident lawyers can help you deal with managing how to claim for medical bills and lost wages.

Anything can happen on the road. Even if you have full control of your vehicle, the circumstances lie within the road. Hence, you must know the things you should do after a car accident involvement. Remember, always call a lawyer from a trusted firm, like the Richmond injury legal, before you settle anything with the insurance company.

How To Win a Personal Injury Case

When someone gets involved in a physical fight, whether initiated or not, settling things aren’t always that easy. Instead of settling for a personal apology, the aggrieved party can choose to file for a personal injury case against the one responsible for the harm. The person injured may formalize his complaint through a civil court proceeding, which in turn can meet a resolution through a court judgment or informal settlement.

What is one’s better chance of winning a personal injury case? Enumerated here are proven strategies to consider.

Check your resources.

A legal proceeding may be taxing and time-consuming. Check first if you have the time to attend every court meeting and also the money to hire a lawyer.

If you are the plaintiff or the one who got hurt, make sure you have a clear copy of the doctor’s findings and other pertinent information that might help you win the case. Your doctor should also speak and act with credibility.

Hire a lawyer.

Richmond injury legal firm have proven to have gained knowledge about court proceedings and personal injury cases through education and experience. This reasoning alone will benefit you in a personal injury claim. Hire a lawyer based on these criteria and not because of recommendations alone.

Work with your lawyer.

Better present all facts to and do not hide anything from your attorney.  Even the details you may deem unimportant may be helpful in resolving the case and get the claim you deserve. Avoid debating with your attorney, too, especially during a court proceeding or when outside with other people. If you have concerns, better settle it in private and come up with a joint strategy to win your case.

Be careful about sharing information.

You must have heard a thousand times the phrase “anything you say may be used against you.” Your spoken words may appear hurtful and be taken out of context which may bring more harm than good. Be careful then, in sharing information to anyone or better yet, do not mention anything about the incident until you have an attorney by your side.

If you are the one sued, never make promises regarding payments or settlements to anyone. If you are the one harmed, do not agree on anything issued to you without your attorney’s advice.

Research about your case.

It will benefit you if you check on similar situations as yours. Though you show complete trust to your lawyer, it wouldn’t hurt a bit if you also read on cases in the last three years to get an idea of how the case progresses.

Prepare for the case.

If you are all set to proceed with the situation, follow what your lawyer advised you, but also listen to your instinct and gut feel. Preparing for the case also means being ready for the best and nastiest possible result of the situation. Be prepared, too, to have your life turned upside down. Strategies commonly used by another party are to damage your reputation for moving ahead and winning the case.

Being prepared also means having all the supporting written or signed documents and photos. These are pieces of evidence that are hard to counter.

Go for a settlement.

If the other party offered an agreement, it’s best to grab it so as not to prolong the case; this is, of course, if both you and your lawyer find the offer worth the cause. Make sure to put the agreement in writing.

Civil cases about personal injury may take longer to resolve. Make sure you are ready with the ups and downs it will bring to your life and your family. And if you are sure you want to settle everything legally, the wisest decision is to get a personal injury lawyer to help you win the case.