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When you are involved in a car accident, you will be overwhelmed in the immediate aftermath by adrenaline along with fear, confusion, anxiety, distress and many times pain. After an auto accident, it's not always easy to make rational decisions. Many accident compensation lawsuits are lost because of something the driver failed to do. That's why it is important to understand what you are expected to do once an accident happens in Florida. Even though the circumstances may make it difficult to remain composed, keeping calm is vital. According to our car accident attorney national network, here are the things you must do after an auto accident.
Saving lives should be the No. 1 priority. The 911 call serves two purposes. First, it's an official notification that an accident has occurred. Second, you can request medical assistance if there is an injury or fatality. However, even if no one was hurt, calling law enforcement, in most cases, the Highway Patrol, will provide important support in a potential lawsuit in the future since the law enforcement officers will write a report that records their assessment of who was at fault. No matter if it is the is the Highway Patrol or Police Department or the County Sheriff's office, the police record will detail all key elements of the collision, including names, vehicle registration, road conditions and witness statements.
Leaving the scene of a car accident prematurely is referred to as a hit-and-run and is a serious offense especially if injury or death occurred. Even when the car accident doesn't seem serious and there are no obvious injuries, it is best to play it safe by staying for longer to make an accurate assessment of the damage. If your physical state allows you to do so, make sure everyone else is alright and provide first aid where required. For individuals who seem seriously injured, don't move them until emergency responders arrive.
Pictures create a visual record of the event. In decades past, a driver taking photos of a car accident they were involved in was not always possible since not everyone carried a camera with them. The ubiquitous camera phone has changed all that. Virtually everyone has a cellphone with a camera so there should be little reason not to take pictures of the accident. Do not just capture the vehicles but also any injuries you experienced. A video overview can also be invaluable. In addition, many drivers now use dash cams. The footage from these can go a long way to showing a driver was not at fault for an accident, or provide evidence that another driver caused the accident. Many law enforcement officers now have the ability to download a driver's dash cam video at the scene of the accident. Just remember to keep the original video card with the dash cam video on it.
Reach out to the other drivers involved in the accident and exchange details, including names, addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registration, driver's license numbers and most importantly insurance information. If passengers were hurt, collect their details, too. The goal is to capture as much information about the car accident as is possible. This could prove crucial if the case ends up in court.
The next step is calling the medical and legal experts. You deserve to have your life restored to as close to the way it was as possible. While this is the goal of insurance, this is not always the case, and there are also drivers who are uninsured. If you feel you are not getting the justice you seek, contact us today. You want to make sure you have the best lawyer & medical team for car accidents. 833-Got-Pain has many years of experience handling referring the right team for car accident cases. Your choice of attorney could make or break your case. Do not take chances if you have been involved in a collision. Talk to our team today.
We are here to provide direction for those who have suffered financial loss as well as physical and emotional injury resulting from dangerous property conditions that should never have existed in the first place.