If you have never been in a car accident before, the first one you go through may be a shocking experience. The jolt of realizing that you may have just been killed can be further complicated by damage not only to your vehicle, but to your person as well. Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of long-term, life-altering injuries, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), neck and back injuries, and more.
Knowing what to do following your car accident will support your eventual claim to recover compensation for the associated costs, with the process beginning with a consideration of your safety and that of all passengers first in your vehicle, then all other vehicles involved in the crash.
Safety First: Contact Emergency Medical Services and Law Enforcement
Immediately following an accident, the adrenaline can lead to shock, which can result in injuries being overlooked. It is important to immediately contact emergency medical services and law enforcement if you have been in a crash. Emergency medical personnel will assess the condition of those involved in the accident, and the police will create a report, and assist with the exchange of information and insurance documentation among the involved drivers.
Connect with a Decatur Car Accident Lawyer
Most car accident claims proceed through the following process, which we’ll manage fully. For those parts that require your participation like medical assessments, we provide you with help and support in scheduling, and anything else ranging from drafting to negotiations with the insurance company we cover in full.
The claims process is as follows:
- Gathering evidence to determine the liability of the at-fault party
- Collecting evidence to accurately measure your present and future medical and occupational costs
- Drafting your claim for complete, comprehensive damages
- Submitting your claim to the liable party, often an insurance company
- Negotiating a fair and complete settlement to your claim with the insurance company and their team of attorneys
- If your claim is denied, an appeal may be possible
- When an appeal is not viable, the only option is to take the responsible party to court
Following a serious injury in a car accident, the last thing you expect to have to do is learn negligence law, how it applies to your accident, and to then move through the insurance claims process while applying negligence to your situation. Your Decatur car accident lawyer from Michael M. Day Law Firm, LLC provides a free consultation to determine if your case is a fit with our firm, and if so, we only get paid if we win.
We cover the full timeline on your behalf from the time we take your case to the time you are paid your damages. The process of accurately measuring then collecting the damages you are entitled to is complex, but with an experienced attorney by your side it is just a matter of time and processing before you receive what you deserve.