7 Steps to Take for Recovery After a Car Accident
In New Mexico, almost 30 percent of crashes result in injury.
If you are in a wreck, you may not be injured, but you will still suffer property damage. What you do after a car accident is essential for your recovery and the recovery of any loss you experience.
Recovering from injuries and the stress of a car accident can take a toll on you. If you take the right steps, this stress will be reduced. Any delay to the recovery period after a wreck can be a lot more strain on you. Financial, health, and wellness strain can affect all aspects of your life.
After A Car Accident
No one wants to get into a car accident. It’s an unfortunate truth that many of us will have to experience this in our lifetime.
If a car crash happens to you, the very first thing you should do is to remain calm. This is so you can make good decisions and take the right next steps.
1. Do Not Leave The Scene
The first thing you should do after a car accident is to remain on the scene. Leaving a scene will complicate your situation and can lead to criminal charges. While you are at the scene, check yourself over to make sure you have no serious injuries.
You may be hurt and not know it, so don’t ignore any warning signs like pain and difficulty breathing. If you’re able to move unimpaired, remember to not walk into the street. This can lead to another injury if another motorist hits you.
2. Immediate Actions
If possible, turn on the warning flashers of your vehicle. This will signal to everyone approaching that something has happened. You can check on the other driver, and don’t be surprised if they step out and check on you. This is not a requirement; however, the best thing you can do is to stay in place and wait for the police.
If you are injured or suspect that the other person may be injured, you should call for help. Summoning police and emergency medical personnel to the area is important. Even if you aren’t injured, and the other parties aren’t injured, you should still contact and wait for the police to arrive.
If you aren’t injured and the vehicle is still fully operational, get it off the road. The longer you sit in the road after an accident, the more chance another vehicle will hit you. Be very careful, because vehicles don’t always function as you would expect after a wreck.
3. During The Aftermath
Now that you’ve summoned police, they will begin to ask questions about what happened. Your side of the story will be compared to the other side of the story, and the officers will determine who to issue a citation to. Answer only the questions of the police, but do not admit to guilt or fault.
Get the names and information of the other drivers involved, and any witnesses who may have stopped. This can help you put together what happened and might be important later. Don’t let anyone photograph your driver’s license or registration, but you can give out your name and insurance.
4. Get Medical Assistance And Follow Instructions
Even if you’re not sure whether or not you are injured, it doesn’t hurt to get checked. Medical examination can find injuries that may not have manifested yet with symptoms. This can help reduce the amount of pain and suffering you experience.
Follow the advice and instructions of medical professionals. Your recovery depends on following the treatment plan of a doctor. Emergency medical attention is not the only thing you can seek. Follow up with your physician as soon as possible. If you experience any continuing or increasing pain, seek medical help immediately.
5. Contact Your Insurance Company
As soon as you can, let your insurance company know what happened. They may have some questions for you, and again you can answer them but do not admit fault. The sooner you tell them your story, the more accurate your memory will be.
6. Get All The Information You Can
You are going to want to collect any information pertaining to your wreck. This includes the police incident report and any other documents they may have generated. Call down to the police department in the jurisdiction where your accident occurred in order to secure these documents.
You will also want to record everything you remember as soon as possible. Writing down your side of events will help you remember important details that can make a big difference should you have to sue for damage recovery.
7. Contact A Lawyer
One of the worst things you can do is to assume that the insurance company will take care of everything. They will take care of a lot, but they will do it on their terms and with an eye to their own interests. You need a zealous advocate for your side of the events.
Contact a personal injury lawyer that understands your situation. Ask them any questions you may have and follow their instructions. Recovering the financial damage you have sustained will help you get your life back on track. Make sure to provide them with all the relevant details and paperwork you have collected.
Car Accidents And You
Recovering from a car accident is not an easy thing to do. If injuries are involved, there will be pain, and you will find all areas of your life affected. Work complications can arise, and you shouldn’t be responsible for missing work when you aren’t at fault for the accident.
After a car accident, things will be confusing and tense. Try to stay relaxed and be mindful of the signals that your body is telling you. Be careful not to injure yourself worse or put yourself at further risk. Staying calm and collected will help you get your recovery started and over as soon as possible.
If you live in the Albuquerque, New Mexico area, the law office of E. Marvin Romero can help. An experienced lawyer with extensive local experience will make the process much smoother.
Contact us today to get help with your case.
