What Legal Steps Should I Take After a Car Accident?
If you have just been in a car accident, you might be wondering what you should do and how you can obtain compensation for the damages you suffered. Going through a violent experience like this can be difficult to manage for almost anyone. Knowing the rights steps to take after a car accident can help ease the uncertainty of what actions to take afterward. Taking certain actions and not taking other actions could potentially prevent you from receiving compensation. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to a Delaware personal injury lawyer for answers.
INITIAL STEPS AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT
The initial steps after a car accident can be some of the most important steps you take. First, make sure you remove yourself and then others from potential harm. Accidents on main highways and other roads with high-speed limits run the potential for additional impacts if you or anyone else is in the way of oncoming traffic. This could lead to further accidents and injuries.
Next, you should call 911 if there was any property damage, like vehicle damages, or injuries to you or anyone else. Not doing this could lead to liability issues. Plus, having medical professionals examine you or your loved ones is a strong safeguard to have because many car accident injuries remain unnoticed for days after the accident. Some unnoticed injuries can become worse without treatment. Without medical records of your injuries, you may not be compensated by the auto insurance company.
Contact the police too because you will need a police report on file to back up your accident claim. Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver, otherwise, you will not know who you are seeking compensation from.
LEGAL STEPS FOR COMPENSATION
Now that you have the police report on file along with the other driver’s information, you have the two most important pieces of evidence. You can obtain a copy of the police report online or through the police station and you may have to pay a small fee. What you are doing with these pieces of information is you are building a strong insurance claim to attain enough compensation to recover.
Other powerful evidence to collect for your claim involves taking pictures and writing down witness statements. Pictures of the wreckage, the entire accident scene, and your injuries can greatly help your credibility. Witness testimonies can also help, but run the risk of being discredited. Lastly, you should obtain copies of your medical records that tie the accident to your injuries.
ACCIDENT ATTORNEY IN DELAWARE
Building a strong personal injury claim can be stressful when the insurance company fails to cooperate with you or works against you. If the accident was caused by the other driver’s negligence, then you should not have to put up with this. Seek help from a Delaware accident attorney to protect your rights. Contact Edelstein Martin & Nelson today at (302) 295-5050 for a free consultation. Our team of auto accident lawyers is located in Wilmington, Delaware.