By Taking the Proper Steps After a Car Accident, You Preserve Your Right to File A Claim For Damages.
When you are involved in a car accident, you may feel traumatized and shocked; knowing how to proceed can be overwhelming. While getting organized and focused may be challenging, taking the correct steps after a car accident to get medical care, report your case, and gather evidence can all have a big impact on the claims process. Here is an overview of the steps you need to take after a Nashville car accident to learn more, please call our car accident injury lawyers at Bednarz Law directly.
Report the Accident to the Police and Your Insurance Company
One of the most pressing things that you need to do after a car accident is to report the accident to the police. Reporting an accident to the police in Nashville is required under law. What is more, if you do not report the accident to the police, then you may be barred from filing an insurance claim.
After reporting the accident and requesting a copy of the police accident report, you also need to call your car insurance company and provide notice of the accident. If you wait too long to do this, the insurance company could delay your claim. It is recommended that you provide notice of the accident within 24 hours of its occurrence.
Gather Evidence
If you are able to, gathering evidence at the scene of the accident while you wait for the police to arrive is best. During this time, you should take photos of the vehicles, debris and damages, and any conditions that may be important for informing how the accident occurred, such as hazards or water in the road. You should also get the other driver’s contact information, insurance information, and vehicle information. If there were any eyewitnesses to the accident, ask for their names and contact information too–you may need to follow up at a later date.
It is also smart to write down your version of events while memories are fresh in your mind. If you have suffered any injuries, document these too, as well as your recovery process.
Seek Medical Care
You must get medical care after a crash. If you delay in seeking medical care, the insurance company may argue that any injuries for which you are requesting compensation are not related to the crash, as you did not seek medical care immediately following the crash. In order to avoid these types of arguments being made against you, and in order to ensure that you get the level of care you need to treat your injuries, we recommend heading to the hospital directly from the accident scene.
Hire a Skilled Nashville Car Accident Lawyer
Working with a skilled Nashville car accident lawyer is always a good idea. An attorney can help you by organizing your claim documents, investigating your crash, proving fault, calculating damages, and negotiating your settlement. An attorney works on a contingency fee basis, so there is nothing to lose by hiring one as soon as possible.
Get Your Free Case Consultation Today
At the office of Bednarz Law, our car accident lawyers in Nashvilleare ready to help. Call us directly today for your free consultation. We are here for you.