If you or someone you care about ever gets into a car accident, it is crucial to contact an auto accident lawyer in New York right away. You may wonder what you should do right after being in an accident. Here is a good step-by-step guide you should keep in mind if you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation.
Check to Make Sure Everyone Is Unharmed
The very first thing you need to do in any personal injury case is make sure to call an ambulance right away if anyone appears to be critically injured. This is important because some injuries need immediate treatment in order to heal properly. Emergency medical staff will know how to handle someone with a serious injury so that it does not become worse.
Call the Police to the Accident Scene
Even if the other person offers to pay for the damages done, you need an officer to come to the scene of the accident so that an official accident report can be written. This is important in case you go to court because it is an unbiased opinion about what probably happened at the accident and who was likely at fault.
Collect Contact Information
You should gather contact information from both the other driver and any witnesses who were at the scene of the accident. This will make your job much easier when you need to reach out to any of the other parties involved. You should get their name and phone number, and collect the other driver’s insurance information, car make and model, license plate number, and anything else that may be relevant to this accident.
Take Photos of the Scene
If it is safe to do so, it is always smart to have photographs of the accident scene from several different angles. You will be able to submit these to insurance or use them in court. Your auto accident lawyer will know what could be helpful to win your case, so show him or her all of the photos that you have.
Get Evaluated by Your Primary Care Physician
Even if you feel fine, it is important to get the accident documented by your physician. Not only will you have this accident in your medical records, but he or she may find that you were injured more seriously than you initially thought. Or, if you have health problems a short time from now, you will be able to look back at these records and see if it may be related. This covers you if you find that your adrenaline pumping was covering pain from the accident.
Contact an Auto Accident Lawyer Today
You need a good personal injury lawyer on your side. Contact the Law Offices of Francis X. Young to set up a free consultation to speak about what happened in your accident and what kind of compensation you may be entitled to. You need a legal representative on your side who knows the state’s personal injury laws and how to navigate throughout the court process. Don’t hesitate — you don’t want to miss the statute of limitations to file.
