A person can face different kinds of accidents in their life, which can cause injury and property damage. A Lakeland personal injury lawyer could help you obtain compensation for your injuries if you were injured in an accident. Personal injury can include damage to the body, mind, or reputation. If you were involved in an accident, here are the steps you need to take.
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Assess Injuries
The first step after facing an accident is to call an ambulance to get an assessment of your injuries. Even if you don’t have any visible injuries, you should let the medics take a look at you. Adrenaline or the shock of the accident might be masking pain from internal injuries.
Gather Information
You should gather information from the other driver, including their name, driver’s license, and insurance information. You can take note of the make, model, and color of their car as well. If there were any witnesses, try to get their contact information as their testimony could be useful at a later date.
According to Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, almost $4.2 trillion financial loss was due to injury in 2019. While gathering information, be careful not to admit any fault for the accident.
Take Photos
If it is possible, you should take pictures of the damage to each vehicle since that could help prove who was at fault for the accident. Take pictures of the accident as well since that could be helpful as well. Also, take pictures of any visible injuries if you can because those pictures can help prove they were caused by the accident.
Obtain the Police Report
The police will collect information like the date and time of the accident, details of persons involved in the accident, statements of witnesses, photographs of accidents, or the area where the accident occurred. They will put that information in a police report. Once the report is completed, you or your attorney can request a copy. The police report can help when you file a personal injury claim.
Get Medical Help
You should get medical help after the accident. Some symptoms can arise after some days, so a health checkup can help you assess the severity of your injuries.
Medical records are crucial when filing a legal claim, so you must obtain an accurate report of your health. You must get routine checkups for up to one or two months after an accident.
Calculate Damages
A critical step after an accident is calculating the total cost of the damages. Damages can be economic, like the cost of medical bills, income lost while recovering from the accident, property damage. Non-economic damages include emotional trauma, depression, PTSD, depression, pain and suffering, and more. Your attorney can help you calculate the cost of all your damages.
Inform the Insurance Company
You should inform the insurance company of the at-fault party when you intend to file a claim against them. According to Florida laws, you can file a claim within four years of the accident. You should get an experienced personal injury attorney to help you because the insurance company might offer a settlement that is too low. If settlement negotiations fail, then you will need to file a lawsuit, in which case, you will definitely need an attorney if you want to get the compensation you deserve.
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