Call your attorney right away if you get involved in a car accident. If it’s the first time you’re in a collision, you’ll probably not know how to proceed. Immediately calling an attorney will ensure you get some quality legal assistance. Reaching out to a lawyer is not the only action you must take, but it might be your most important move.

In addition to assessing damages, attorneys can assist with renting cars or other vehicles while your car is being fixed. Lawyers can do more than just defend you in court. A car accident lawyer can help across all stages of your legal journey concerning this personal injury case. Most attorneys and law firms render services that extend beyond representing their clients in court. For instance, they can help with insurance and creditor negotiations, especially if you have sustained serious physical injuries that prevent you from returning to work and attending to your financial obligations. 

In this article, you’ll learn the proactive steps or courses of action you can take after a car accident.

Make Sure Everyone Is Safe

Your first priority should be ensuring you are out of harm’s way. Before taking any other action, ensure everyone else in the automobile crash is okay. However, it’s best to avoid lifting or carrying victims of car accidents because this can severely injure passengers or pedestrians. These actions may aggravate a spinal or brain injury. If you’re concerned that relocating someone injured could land you in trouble, talk to emergency service providers first. They have the right equipment to perform medical procedures to save people’s lives and are highly trained and experienced in handling emergencies.  

Call the emergency services and describe to the operator what you see in detail. Based on the information you provide, they will be able to offer valuable guidance on what you should do until medical specialists arrive at the scene.

Call the Cops

After a car accident, it is essential to call the police. Filing a police report ensures that there is an official record of the collision. Furthermore, you could face criminal charges if you do not call the police and someone dies due to your negligence.

A police report may contain the following information:

• Location
• Approximate date and time
• Identifying information of all those involved in the crash
• Identifying information for witnesses

Hand over a copy of the police report to your lawyer, they will use this along with other documentation to build a strong evidence-based case against the liable party.

Before you give any statement to the police, ensure you have your car accident lawyer with you. Otherwise, you might make statements that can incriminate yourself, making you the one at fault. Apart from your personal details, explain to the police that you’ll wait for your lawyer before answering their questions.  

Exchange Valuable Intel

A severe accident can cause significant physical injury and emotional trauma. In a car accident, it’s essential to know how to exchange information in case of an emergency when EMS is not immediately available.

A Motor Accident Report should be filled out, with all occupants listed and any injuries sustained by any driver or passenger. This report is essential for filing an insurance claim, contacting drivers’ insurance companies, and notifying other family members.

Try to stay calm and approach the other driver to exchange information. If they are not cooperative, try to remember or write down any information that could help identify them. For example, write down the license plate number, car model, and color.

You can also obtain the information of potential witnesses, such as bystanders and employees working in close establishments. Give this information to your lawyer for necessary follow-up. An experienced car accident lawyer can hire private investigators to check surveillance cameras and other possible proofs to establish substantial evidence to prove your claim.  

Notify Your Insurance Providers

Inform your insurance provider about the road accident. Some people claim that you should not automatically notify your insurance company of a car accident but first ensure there is no damage to the other driver’s car.

If you are in an accident and do not notify your insurance company immediately, it may result in severe consequences. For example, if your insurance lapses as a result of this delay, then you may have to pay for damages to be covered by your policy.

Why Should You Contact a Lawyer Following a Car accident?

There are a lot of negative consequences that can result from a lawsuit, and one of them is the effect on your finances. Talking to a car accident lawyer before deciding whether to file a lawsuit is important because it can affect your future. If you want damages for being injured in a car accident, you should consider talking to an attorney about suing the other party’s insurance company.

Being overly worried is perfectly normal if you’ve never been in an accident before. You might panic and even be stressed, but that’s normal. If you’ve contacted an attorney, you can be sure that an attorney will handle your concerns.

Seek Legal Representation

Disasters often occur when least expected. While either of your drivers could be to blame, a quality attorney could be what you need. Contacting an attorney could save you not only from much legal trouble but from psychological problems like stress as well.