Car accidents can cause severe damage to the people involved and sometimes even bystanders. Knowing what to do in the event of an accident can help ease some of the burdens.
A Shepherdsville car accident lawyer will manage your injury claim, ensuring you follow the correct course of action. They also help you get compensation for your damages, including filing a personal injury lawsuit if necessary. What should you do after an accident? How can a lawyer help you? Let’s find out.
Common Causes of Car Accidents
Car accidents can occur due to various reasons. With over 130,000 reported accidents in Kentucky in 2019, it is essential to know some of the common causes of car accidents and what to do if you are involved in one. Drivers act negligently when they fail to uphold their duty of care to other motorists and pedestrians.
Reckless Driving
Some drivers don’t pay attention to the road when driving. They might be distracted by their phones, passengers, or food and drink. Some might be preoccupied with trying to get somewhere on time and not paying attention to the other vehicles on the road. Reckless driving is one of the significant causes of car accidents and many fatalities.
Speeding
Speeding was responsible for almost 1,200 deaths in Kentucky, according to the 2019 Traffic Collisions Facts report. Speeding is dangerous because it is easy to lose control of your car at high speed, and you might not be able to slow down in time. Accidents occurring at high speeds have a higher impact and more severe injuries.
Driving Under the Influence
Driving under the influence can lead to slower reaction times and poor judgment. These accidents are most common on weekends or holidays. Driving under the influence impacts other drivers on the roads and is punishable by law.
Car Accident Checklist
A car accident checklist can keep you focused after an accident, preventing you from panicking amidst the chaos. Download a car accident checklist to prepare for a possible accident.
Below are the steps you should follow after an accident:
Stay at the Scene
Whether you are the one who caused the accident or a victim, do not flee from the scene. Stay there and assess the damage around you. If you are injured, stay in place and wait for help to arrive, do not move around as that could worsen your injuries.
Call 911
Call the authorities to help you and whoever else might be injured. Ask for an ambulance if there are any injured parties. Ensure you are there when the authorities arrive and give your statement as soon as you can. Give the police the extent of the property damage, if any.
Collect Information
Gather information from the drivers involved. Obtain their names, contact info, license plate information, addresses, and driver’s license numbers. You can even ask for additional information from bystanders that observed the accident
Record Evidence
If you are able to do so safely, take pictures and videos of the scene. Include any damage to your car, yourself, and pedestrians, if there is any. This information can help you establish fault and assist in compensation later on.
Speak to a Lawyer
Reach out to a Shepherdsville car accident lawyer as soon after the accident, if possible, before leaving the scene. Let our lawyers gather the information and evidence necessary to support your case while everything is recent.
Seek Medical Attention
Get checked out by medical professionals to ensure you don’t have any severe injuries. This also allows early detection of any underlying problems caused by the injuries. Documentation of your medical visits and injuries is important evidence for your claim.
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What Not to Do
Don’t Admit Fault
No matter who was responsible for the accident, do not admit any fault without speaking to your lawyer first. This ensures you don’t implicate yourself, and this prevents insurance companies from using it against you. Don’t even offer an apology to avoid having it seen as an admission of guilt.
Don’t Sign Anything
Avoid signing anything if you can. If it is necessary information by the police or any other person, make sure you read it through carefully. If possible, avoid signing any documentation until you have a lawyer present to examine the papers to ensure you don’t sign away vital information.
Don’t Settle a Claim Quickly
Don’t settle your case prematurely before the full extent of your injuries and treatment are known and documented by medical providers. Insurance adjusters may try to rush you into a lower settlement early on. Waiting until you have all the necessary documentation and a lawyer to ensure you calculate fair and just compensation are important. We can fight for damages to cover your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost income, among other losses.
What a Lawyer Can Do
A Shepherdsville car accident lawyer ensures your interests are looked after and adequately protected. They can help you file all the necessary claims and help you negotiate a settlement with the other party. Other things that a car accident lawyer can do for you include:
- Collecting crucial pieces of evidence
- Offering legal advice
- Dealing with insurance adjusters
- Evaluate the monetary value of your damages to negotiate a fair and just settlement
- Investigating the cause of the accident and identifying all responsible parties
A car accident lawyer can protect your rights, no matter your role in the accident. A Shepherdsville car accident lawyer can ensure you take the correct actions and prevent others from taking advantage of your situation.
Contact Isaacs & Isaacs to Talk to a Car Accident Lawyer
Our firm has attorneys serving Shepherdsville who can help protect your rights. We have 400 years of combined legal experience and an in-house litigation team that can ensure all your needs are met. We ‘don’t charge any upfront fees or costs, we only get paid when we win or settle your case. Call us to talk to one of our attorneys or fill in the form to get a free case evaluation.
