Car Accident Injury: Steps To Follow Once You Are Hurt in a Collision

If you have received a car accident injury, there are several steps to take in order to protect both yourself and your finances. Of course, no matter the circumstances, you are advised to first obtain any emergency medical care you need. But know that you may eventually need to contact a lawyer to get the money you deserve if the crash was someone else's fault. Consider the steps a little more in-depth.

Your first decision is whether to get medical help. Keep in mind that some injuries do not appear for hours, or even months, after a crash. This is why it is usually best to go to the hospital anyway, especially if emergency responders are urging you to do so. If you do not feel comfortable going to the hospital, consider at least getting checked out by your doctor the next day. If you are worried about expenses, such as if you do not have insurance or maybe have a high deductible, still consider going to an urgent care or regular physician. This will not cost nearly as much as a hospital visit, and you will likely be reimbursed anyway since the at-fault driver will eventually have to pay. Of course, if you have broken bones or a life-threatening car accident injury, you need to go to the hospital regardless of the cost.

Once you are healing nicely, you need to make a claim to your insurance company. Let your agent know what happened, and he or she will likely need to contact the other driver's provider to get all sides of the story. By this time, you may have filled out a police report if you were not rushed to a hospital soon after the crash. This should ensure that you wrote down all the details right after the incident, when they were fresh in your mind. If you also took pictures of the damage, they might be helpful, but this is not necessary if you were seriously injured. You should get an answer soon after the crash, letting you know that the other driver's insurance company is taking care of the damages. If the company seems to be dragging its feet, you have other resources.

This is when you contact a lawyer. You deserve to get the money to pay for the care for your car accident injury, as you should not have to drown in medical bills when the crash was not your fault. The same goes for getting your vehicle fixed or replaced. The sooner you get the case settled, the sooner you can move on with your life. If you think the insurance provider is not doing everything possible to move the claim forward, or if you have been offered much less than you need, find a lawyer to represent you.

You need at least one person on your side after a car accident injury. This person may have to be an attorney, as this is sometimes the only way to get your compensation. Follow these steps after any collision so you have a good chance of both healing quickly and paying any related bills.