Everyone is at risk of being involved in an accident, even the most careful ones. You might find yourself involved in a car crash, a victim of medical malpractice, or injured by a product you bought. Because all these things could happen to any of us, it is important to know what should be done immediately after being involved in an accident.
Here are the actions you should promptly take in such situations.
Stay Calm
If you were injured by a defective product or had a car accident, the first thing you should do is to stay calm and do not take any actions while you are panicking. Staying calm in these situations will help you think clearly, and it could prevent conflicts between you and the other parties involved.
Move to a Safe Area
It is important to move to a safer area after an accident. For example, if your car is still working after you suffered from a car crash, try to move it off the main road; if you were injured from a defective product, make sure to stow it away safely and move to another room. That way, you will be able to check your injuries and avoid any additional consequences.
Contact the Police
Once you move to a safer area, check whether or not you are injured. If you find any injuries, you should contact the police and file a report, even if they are minor injuries. Once the police arrive, try to tell them what happened in as much detail as possible and if there’s something you don’t remember, tell the officers that you don’t remember. Avoid making any assumptions or giving statements based on them.
Contact an Injury Attorney
Contacting an injury lawyer is not usually the priority when you get involved in an accident. However, right after contacting the police, you should contact an expert in order to guide you through the steps that you need to follow. Keep in mind that personal injury laws vary by state so if the accident took place in Nashville for instance, your lawyer should be locally-based in Tennessee to ensure that you get the best legal representation possible under the state law. Calling your injury attorney right after your accident is important because they have enough experience to guide you through all the procedures that follow the accident, which will ensure that you get compensated for your medical expenses.
Seek Medical Help
Following an accident, you must visit a doctor or the emergency room immediately, even if you’re feeling fine. By visiting a doctor, you will ensure that there are no complications from the accident and you will also be documenting any injuries caused by the incident, which will help you if you will be making an insurance claim.
Collect Evidence
No matter what type of accident you were involved in, collecting evidence will help you in the future, especially if you are filing an insurance claim. Use your phone to take photos of the accident scene, the damaged vehicles or defective product, and your injuries. Get the details of everyone involved in this accident and if there were witnesses, try to get their names, addresses, and phone numbers. After that, try to write down all the details that happened as you remember them so you can provide the police with accurate information. In the case of the injury was caused by a defective product, try to get a proof of purchase receipt, keep the wrapping, instruction manual, and everything that came with the product as well so you can, later on, provide it to the vendor.
Make Sure That Everyone Is Safe
Once you made sure that you were not injured or only had minor injuries, look for everyone who was around you and make sure that they are okay. If someone was injured, try not to move them until the police and the medical help arrive.
Limit Your Conversation
Right after an accident, we might talk about it with other people in order to feel better. You might find yourself talking to the other parties involved or discussing what happened on social media platforms. However, this could get you in trouble. If you were involved in an accident, do not talk to the other party as this might put you at fault and avoid venting online as this might be held against you. Unnecessary talk of accidents publicly can cost you the compensation due to you.
Getting involved in an accident could affect us both physically and mentally, which is why you need to be careful while taking any actions following the accident. It is crucial to keep your cool so you avoid any future hassles if things escalate. Also, keep in mind that talking to any other party involved could get you in trouble, which is why you should limit your conversation about the accident to the police, doctor, lawyer, and insurance company. In case you are not sure what to do after an accident, it is best to contact an expert who can guide you through the necessary steps.