Being involved in a road accident can be a very disturbing experience. Besides the physical injuries, it might take you years to recover from the trauma that you went through at the time. Irrational fears and anxieties are common issues that many people have to deal with after getting into road accidents. As a victim, you might think that the best thing you can do is to focus on getting back your health and just accept what happened. While important and valid, you can’t forget about seeking your legal rights. You are entitled to compensation for the harm that you’ve endured. However, if you’re not sure how exactly you can do that, you’ve come to the right place. Even if you haven’t been in an accident yourself, it’s good to have a clear idea about how to protect your legal rights after a road accident.
Seek Medical Help
The first thing you have to do after getting into a road accident is to seek medical help for your injuries. Your health should be your main concern before even attempting to discuss your rights. Call the ambulance yourself, or, if your injuries get in the way, ask anyone around to do it for you so you don’t lose precious time putting your life at risk. However, it’s very important not to leave the accident scene. Once the paramedics tend to your injuries, make sure you continue with the below steps.
Take Photos for Evidence
Now, it’s time for the practical part. While on the accident scene, start snapping photos of your injuries, your car damage and anything else that might be used for relevance. You can also ask any of the eyewitnesses to give a quick briefing over video recording in order to enhance your position should the case end up in court. The same goes for taking photos; if you can’t do it yourself, have anyone around do it on your behalf but make sure they’re capturing all of the important details. For reference, you should also take photos of the surrounding neighborhood to spot any surveillance cameras that might be needed at a later stage.
Contact Your Lawyer
While some people choose to go into this fight alone, you’d only be adding more stress to what is already a tough time for you and your family. If you don’t have a car accident lawyer, now is the time to get this sorted out. You need a professional lawyer who has enough local experience with similar cases to get you the compensation that you deserve. If you get involved in a road accident in Oklahoma, your lawyer can help you understand the possible scenarios as explained on https://www.edwardspattersonlaw.com/blog/what-should-i-do-if-i-was-a-passenger-in-an-accident-in-oklahoma/, as well as the financial compensations that you should be expecting for each.
Especially since the compensation claims differ from one state to the other, your lawyer will know how to correctly decide on the settlement amount to maximize your chances of winning.
Don’t Give Out any Statements
On the accident scene, police officers and insurance companies will be present to collect information about the accident and write up their own reports. It’s extremely important to refrain from giving out any statements before getting clearance from your lawyer to do so. Otherwise, you could be harming your chances to win the compensation you deserve and protect your rights. You’ll be expected to give basic personal information for the police report that you get to keep a copy of yourself to be used as evidence in your case. However, when it comes to speaking with the insurance companies, your lawyer will ask you to use only specific terms as they’ll be looking for any way out to underpay you for the damages you incurred.
Be Patient
When you’re a victim of an accident, it might be very frustrating that you’d have to wait before you can receive compensation for your medical bills and your lost income. Especially if you live on a tight budget, this can be a very difficult time for you and your family. However, you should understand that these cases usually take time due to the sheer volume of road accidents that happen on a daily-basis. That’s why it’s extremely important to be patient and don’t try to rush your lawyer into accepting the first settlement offer that you receive from the other party just so you can get done with it and move on. It’s better to have faith in your lawyer and give them the time and space to do the jobs that you hired them for.
You should understand that you have legal rights protected by the law and it’s your responsibility to seek them. Read the above to have a clear idea about how to act should you ever get involved in a road accident. Whether you’re a victim or at-fault, having the proper knowledge will give you the clear perspective you’ll need during times of distress.
