Car accidents happen sometimes. It’s not always possible to avoid them. When accidents do occur it is necessary to take very exact steps. Failing to take the necessary steps could lead to compensation payments being denied or missed. Unless you have been involved in some kind of car accident before though you won’t know what these steps are nor how you can take them. Thanks to this page, you don’t need to have experience, as in it you will find six useful tips that you can use to ensure you get the compensation you are entitled to.
Contacting a Lawyer
If you have been involved in an accident, once you have recovered and are back at home, get in touch with a lawyer. A professional car accident lawyer will be able to give you the legal representation that you need with a view to getting you the compensation you deserve. Of course, you only deserve compensation if you were the accident’s victim. If it was your dangerous driving that caused the crash, rather than being entitled to compensation, you’ll probably be liable for it, meaning you have to pay it. In such circumstances, it is wise to get in touch with a lawyer anyway, as you may have to go to court and argue that you were not the sole cause (or the cause at all). Make sure the lawyer you hire is experienced, qualified, and has a good attitude. Always read a lawyer’s reviews before hiring them too.
Getting Some Evidence
After a car accident, the last thing those involved tend to think about is taking their phones out and getting video or photo evidence of what took place. However, if you are in a car accident then the evidence is exactly what you need. Evidence can show the police, courts, and insurance adjusters that you were not at fault. Make sure to take photos or videos of the guilty driver’s car (and make sure to get their license plate in it). Taking photos and videos of them will help to ensure you get the justice that you deserve. Bear in mind that if you are going to be taking photos or video evidence, you need to prioritize helping people first. If somebody is seriously injured and you are just standing there photographing them, you could get into a lot of trouble.
Collecting Driver Information
If you are unable to get photo or video evidence, make sure you collect the guilty driver’s license plate number, name, and contact information. Under no circumstances should you leave without all of this information, even if you were able to get a photo or video evidence. Having the guilty person’s contact information means you can pass it over to your lawyer, who can then chase them and get their insurance information. Most compensation payments are paid privately, through insurers. It is unlikely that your compensation will come from the actual driver. Most likely it’ll come from their insurer instead. Make sure that in addition to getting their personal information, you write down their license plate, as already noted. Sometimes people give fake information on the scene of car accidents. If you are armed with their license plate number, your lawyer will be able to track them down.
Getting Medical Certificate
In order to claim compensation, you are going to need to be able to prove your injuries. No law firm is going to take you on as a client if your injuries are purely speculative, meaning you have no hard evidence for them and all they have is your word that you have them or that they happened. A medical certificate is one of the most effective ways of proving your injuries and assuring that you get the compensation to which you are entitled. Medical certificates are relatively easy to obtain. All you have to do is get in touch with your doctor the day after your accident and ask them to write you a slip, stating what happened to you and what your injuries are like. Alternatively, you can get a medical certificate from the doctor that sees you at the ER.
Taking Time Off of Work
Car accidents range in severity from minor injuries to fatalities. If your injuries are serious enough for you to be claiming compensation, the chances are you need to take some time off of work. If you are planning on taking time off of work then you need to get in touch with your employer and explain this to them. Individuals who are taking more than just a little bit of time off of work may even want to quit outright. If your injuries are serious it is likely the compensation you will receive will be a lot of money. You can also apply for disability benefits which will help you to keep yourself afloat financially. Disability benefits can be complicated to apply for but you can ask your lawyer to do that for you. Take as much time off of work as you need, so you can fully recover.
Considering Disability Benefits
As mentioned in the previous section, your lawyer may be able to apply for disability benefits for you. If you are going to ask your lawyer to do this then you need to make sure that first, it is included as part of the cost of their services, and second, you are actually entitled. Wasting your lawyer’s time getting them to apply for things that you are not eligible for is not going to be good for your relationship with them. You can find out what the criteria for disability benefits are by visiting the official government website in the state you live in. Make sure that you do not exaggerate or embellish your injuries to increase your chances of getting accepted as doing this can get you into a lot of trouble and actually lead to you being arrested, which is not something you likely want to happen.
Car accidents can’t always be avoided and when they happen, the consequences can be devastating. You need to make sure you follow the instructions set out in this post so that you can get compensated for any injuries you have sustained in the accident you were involved in.
