Follow 5 basic steps to gather information for your Indiana personal injury claim.
After a car accident, you can be startled, flustered or in shock. Don’t let your emotions make you do or say things that may affect your personal injury claim. Instead, use these 5 steps as a guide after a car accident.
5 Things to Do After a Car Accident
1. Call for help – After a car accident, call the police or 911. The police will be able to control the accident site and once they get to the accident site, they will take down an official police report. Make sure you later receive a copy and don’t leave the scene unless told otherwise by the police.
2. Write down contact information – Write down the contact information for whoever else was involved in the accident. This includes, drivers, third parties, passengers, and witnesses.
3. Take pictures and notes – Pictures are extremely important when you file an Indiana personal injury claim. Your pictures are clear evidence of what happened and a clue to the extent of the damages. Taking notes of how the accident happened and what was said or done after the accident is valuable, too, when your Indianapolis personal injury attorney negotiates your claim.
4. Get treated for injuries – You’ll never know the difference between extreme injuries and minor injuries after a car accident, because injuries can get worse in time, especially if you hit your head. When in doubt, seek medical attention even if it seems like a minor crash. It’s important to your health and to your Indiana personal injury claim.
5. Don’t talk about the accident – Once you’ve gathered all the information you need, don’t say anything about the accident. Don’t blame anyone else, don’t voice your opinion with vulgar language, and don’t say sorry.
Insurance Company vs. Indianapolis Personal Injury Attorney
After you’ve documented all the information from your accident site, call your car insurance company to report that you’ve been in a car accident. Answer all necessary questions but don’t accept any appraisals until you’ve spoken with your Indianapolis personal injury lawyer. Be aware that your insurance company is not looking out for your best interests.
Now, take all your information that you gathered from the accident site and the information you received from your car insurance company to your Indianapolis personal injury attorney. Also include medical bills and any purchases you had to make because of the car accident. Your Indianapolis personal injury attorney will offer an initial estimate as to what your compensation should be and what else you should be compensated for.
After a car accident, having an Indianapolis personal injury attorney review your Indiana personal injury claim can make the difference between a claim that barely covers your initial medical bills and one that takes into account your long-term healthcare needs.
