Getting in a car accident is a scary experience. But the stress of an accident doesn’t end with the crash itself. You might find yourself facing medical bills that are rapidly piling up. You might be unable to work due to your injuries. And, of course, you might be struggling to navigate life while dealing with immense physical pain. If your car accident was caused by someone else, you might be able to recover financial compensation to help you handle the fallout of the accident. However, your ability to successfully pursue that compensation depends on what you do after getting involved in your car crash. Wondering what to do after an auto accident in Baltimore? Here’s a look at the steps you should take at the scene of the accident and in the days immediately after.
Many people don’t think about what to do after a car accident until they’re in one. However, if you already have an idea of what to do after an accident, you’ll have a better chance of both protecting your health and preserving your chances of filing a successful personal injury claim.
Wondering What to Do After an Auto Accident in Baltimore?
The Steps You Take Now Can Determine Your Future
Car accidents can be life-altering experiences. Depending on your injuries and the severity of the accident, you may or may not have the presence of mind to know what to do in the immediate aftermath. However, if you are able, you should follow these steps to protect your health and safety and increase your chances of a successful personal injury claim.
1. Get to Safety
This is the most important step. If you are in danger, do your best to get yourself to relative safety. For example, if you find yourself in the middle of the road after being hit by a distracted driver, get to a median or the shoulder before calling for help. If you see that others are in harm’s way and you are able to help them, do that as well.
2. Call 911
Once you have gotten to a safer location, summon both police and medical services right away. Of course, you can only do so if you have your phone and it is operational. If you cannot call on your own, choose a specific person and ask them to call. Choosing a specific person is important. If you don’t, people at the scene may fall victim to the “bystander effect,” meaning no one calls because each person thinks another is going to.
3. Document the Scene and Your Injuries – TAKE PHOTOS
If you do have your phone and are able to do so, take steps to document the scene as you wait for help to arrive. If you decide to pursue a personal injury claim later, your attorneys will be able to investigate after the fact — but nothing can replace photo and/or video evidence of the scene of the crash itself. If possible, get photos or videos of the following:
- License plates of both vehicles
- Property damage to both vehicles
- Your injuries (Bruises, cuts, lacerations)
- The scene of the accident
- The other driver’s license and insurance information
- Any nearby businesses that may be able to answer your attorney’s questions later.
It’s also a good idea to periodically take photos of your injuries as they heal. These photos may prove to be an asset in your case. For instance, if you suffer lacerations that later become infected, photos of the infection’s development can help illustrate the seriousness of your injuries to insurers and the other side. Furthermore, if you have any scarring it is vital to document it with a photo.
4. Get Witness Information
If your accident happened on an otherwise empty rural road, there may not be any witnesses to your accident. However, if there are witnesses, they might later be instrumental in corroborating your version of events. In the chaos that follows an unexpected car accident, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to get clear, detailed written or spoken statements. Instead, ask witnesses for their names and contact information. If your legal team needs to follow up after your accident, they can get in touch later.
5. Seek Medical Attention
Calling 911 is one of the first things you should do after a car accident. However, you may think that you don’t need to be evaluated because you don’t appear to be injured. Don’t fall victim to this kind of false belief; going home without seeking medical attention can lead to worsening medical problems and even death.
One example is internal bleeding. If internal bleeding is not treated promptly, it can become life-threatening. You might assume that something this serious would be immediately apparent, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes, you can be bleeding internally but have little evidence of physical trauma on the outside. If you refuse medical treatment and go home, symptoms can gradually worsen; and once you’ve lost too much blood, you might become too disoriented to even call for help.
There’s another reason you should seek medical attention even if you don’t think you’re seriously injured. If you do decide to pursue a personal injury case, the other side will closely examine your case for anything they can use to argue that your injuries are not as severe as you claim. If you leave the scene of the accident and seek medical treatment later, the other side could say that you weren’t severely injured or that your injuries came from something that happened after you left the scene of the accident.
6. Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer (Before You Talk to the Insurance Company)
Many people make the mistake of thinking they should give a statement to the insurance company right after an accident. What you may not realize is that insurance companies are not on your side. Insurers have one main objective, and that’s to avoid paying out claims as much as they possibly can. Insurance companies will analyze what you say and try to use even seemingly inconsequential things to argue that your claims are exaggerated or unfounded. For example, if you say something like “I don’t think I’m hurt too badly,” the insurer might use that statement to argue that you aren’t injured as seriously as you claim to be. Additionally, the Insurance Company records any conversation they have with you. This can hurt your case especially if you make statements when you are under duress.
You should always consult with a personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your accident. Your lawyer will be able to negotiate with the insurer for you so you won’t have to worry about accidentally saying something that could sabotage your case.
7. Keep Everything Organized
It’s easy to get overwhelmed in the wake of an auto accident. It’s also easy to think that you’ll organize your documentation later. However, if you keep medical bills and other documents organized from the time you get them, you’ll save yourself considerable stress. You’ll also make it easier for yourself and your attorney if you do choose to file a claim in the future. Here are a few tips for staying organized:
- Save photos of the accident and photos of your injuries in multiple locations.
- Keep both electronic copies and hard copies of medical bills and other key documents.
- Never give original documents away.
- Keep receipts for every single expense related to your injury (including medications, in-home medical equipment, etc.).
- Keep track of (and document) the work you miss as a result of your injury.
In some instances, you might not know whether or not a receipt or other kind of document is important for your case. When in doubt, keep it — your lawyer will be able to tell you whether a given document is a necessary part of your case.
Have you been hurt in a car accident? Call Steven H. Heisler at (410) 625-4878 for a free consultation today.
How Does the Legal Process Work?
When you think about what to do after a car accident in Baltimore, you should always remember the importance of contacting a personal injury lawyer. But what happens after you book that initial consultation? Here’s a look at how that process works.
1. The Consultation
Personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. This means that you pay them only if they are able to recover compensation for you. If you win your case, you agree to pay them a portion of what you receive. If you receive no compensation, you pay nothing. Because of this fee arrangement, personal injury attorneys can’t take on every case they come across. If a lawyer agrees to take your case and you agree to work with the lawyer, you move into the next phase of the process.
2. Investigation
Once a law firm takes your case, they go about investigating the circumstances of your accident. While they aren’t building a criminal case, the investigative process is similar — your lawyers must be able to prove that your injuries are severe and that they were directly caused by the other driver’s negligent actions.
Your legal team will gather police reports, send letters of representation to the insurance companies, contact witnesses and take witness statements, and calculate your losses (like medical bills and lost income). Sometimes, they might obtain testimony from medical experts who can explain your injuries and the impact they have on your daily life. This kind of explanation can be helpful when trying to negotiate an insurance settlement. It can also be useful for explaining your injuries to a judge and jury if your case ultimately goes to the trial phase.
Your legal team will handle almost every aspect of the investigation of your case so you can focus on healing. Your role in this process is to offer as much documentation as you can. If you have photos of the accident scene, copies of medical bills and hospital discharge summaries, or anything else that could be helpful, make sure you give them to your attorney.
3. Negotiation
Most personal injury cases — not just car accident cases — are settled out of court. This is often best for both parties. You can avoid the stress and time commitment involved in a trial (and also receive compensation faster). The insurance company can avoid having to pay its own expensive lawyers to argue against you in the courtroom.
Some people decide to try to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company themselves. You can technically do this, but it’s almost never advisable. Insurers often try to give you a settlement of far less than your case is worth. And if you don’t have an attorney, the insurance company also assumes you won’t be able to win against them in court — so they don’t have much of an incentive to give you a fair settlement. On the other hand, when you have an attorney, insurance companies know you’re serious. They also know that if they do not offer a fair settlement, your attorney is fully prepared to take the case to trial.
4. Trial
A small portion of personal injury cases can’t be solved with negotiation. When that happens, your legal team will take your case to a civil trial. A civil trial works similarly to a criminal trial, but in this case, if the defendant (the other driver) is found to be responsible for your injuries, they are not convicted of a crime. Instead, the judge or jury may order the at fault driver (or, more commonly, the at fault driver’s insurance company) to pay you a certain amount of money.
Have You Been Hurt in a Car Accident?
Let Steven H. Heisler Fight for Your Rights
If you’re like many people, you’ve never been in a position where you’ve needed to contact a personal injury attorney. Like some, you might believe that personal injury lawsuits are just a way to exploit a situation for money. However, personal injury attorney Steven H. Heisler understands that seeking compensation after an accident isn’t about the money — it’s about getting you the support you need to cover medical costs, make up for lost earnings, and support yourself and your family while you heal.
Have you been seriously injured in a car accident you didn’t cause? We might be able to help. Contact Steven H. Heisler at (410) 625-4878 to set up a free consultation.