What Steps Should I Take When Involved In Car Crash?

by

28 September 2020

Legal

Car Crash

Accidents are unfortunate, and when they happen, the effects are beyond our control. When you are involved in a vehicle or car crash, you will most likely experience strong emotions such as panic, shock, dizziness, and sometimes rage at the fault driver who caused the accident. Despite these natural responses, the most crucial thing you can do is to keep calm so that you can document the events accurately.

If you are involved in a car crash in New Port Richey, FL, there are several steps you can take to handle the aftermath of the accident successfully.

What Steps Should I Take When Involved In Car Crash:

1. Check for injuries

Accidents can result in external, internal, and psychological injuries. If you or anyone else involved is hurt, call 911 immediately for an ambulance and police. Emergency personnel will be able to assess severe problems and check for internal injuries.

2. Secure the scene and move to a safer area

When a car crash happens, it may block the movement of other vehicles on the road. As a rule, you should put up accident alerts such as a reflective emergency triangle,  flares, or keep your flashers on to notify approaching drivers of the accident. Additionally, keep your distance from the car crash scene by moving into a safer area so you are not exposed to ongoing traffic.

3. Document the car crash information

On arrival at the car crash scene, the police will officially document the accident and record statements of parties involved and any eyewitnesses. Give the police factual information and do not guess or speculate anything. If you are not sure about anything, say precisely that rather than giving out incorrect information.

The police will want to record if you are injured. If you are, tell the police and medical personnel. If you feel okay, it is better to say you are not sure since you may have internal injuries that can manifest hours or days after the accident and may even be fatal.

Moreover, check that the information the other driver and people involved are giving is correct. There is also additional important information that you should obtain, if possible such as the other driver and witnesses’ contacts if they are willing to share with you.

Take pictures of the car crash and the scene, record the police report number, the police’s name, number, and the time of the accident. You can record audio or write down the information. That information will be useful to your insurer and for court evidence in case of a claim.

4. Notify your insurance company

Notify your car insurer about the accident and send them the information via email or any other channel as soon as possible. Also, check if your medical insurance covers accidents so that you know the way forward.

5. Get medical attention

As earlier mentioned, you may be injured even if you feel okay, so seek medical attention immediately. For instance, if you felt dizzy after the crash, you may have suffered a head concussion. Get a full medical examination.

6. Protect your rights by filing a claim

After that, protect your rights by contacting a personal injury attorney who will advise you accordingly on how you will file the claim. An attorney will assess the accident records, statements, and determine compensation steps.

These simple steps will help you successfully deal with the aftermath of a car crash.

Read Also:

Tags

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

misdemeanors

Most Common Misdemeanors You Could Be Accused Of

If you’ve been charged with a misdemeanor crime, you need to be proactive in your criminal defense. Your arrest is only the beginning of the criminal justice process. You should contact a criminal defense lawyer who has experience with your type of case. There are several things you need to know when facing misdemeanor charges. Here are Most Common Misdemeanors You Could Be Accused Of: 1. Consequences of a Misdemeanor Conviction: Misdemeanor charges range from improper smoking to attempting to escape from jail. Misdemeanor convictions are fairly common in Michigan. The state courts see thousands of cases going through courts annually. There are three types of misdemeanors to look out for: 93-day misdemeanors 1-year misdemeanors High court misdemeanors These time periods refer to the maximum jail sentence that you can serve. High court misdemeanors are more serious crimes and are punishable by a prison term of up to two years. While less serious than felony charges, all misdemeanors are considered crimes, and a conviction can result in jail, fines, and a criminal record. Michigan legal help like the Law Office of Rathi & Associates for legal needs when facing Michigan misdemeanor court. If you are facing misdemeanor charges then a misdemeanor lawyer will help you avoid the worst of any incoming punishments. 2. Misdemeanor Property Crimes: Property crimes are offenses that involve the appropriation or destruction of physical items, but can also involve thefts of services or intellectual properties. Like most jurisdictions, state law determines whether a property crime will be classified as a misdemeanor or felony based on the dollar amount and extenuating circumstances around the crime. Some of the more common misdemeanor property crimes include: Petty (or petit) theft under $200 Petty theft under $1,000 Vandalism with under $200 in damage Vandalism with under $1,000 in damage Public urination Trespassing 3. Misdemeanor Crimes Against Persons: Crimes against persons can involve touching or striking a person against their will, creating disturbances and other offenses that affect individuals and groups of individuals. As is the case with property crimes, a crime against a person can be either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the circumstances surrounding the crime and the severity of the offense. Some of the more common misdemeanor crimes against persons include the following: Assault and battery Domestic assault Misdemeanor stalking Disorderly conduct Resisting arrest Prostitution These are the common crimes committed against a person. If you’ve been charged with any of these crimes, you may have to face punishment, including imprisonment, fines, probation, and loss of civil rights. In some cases, you may also be required to pay restitution to the victim. However, the specific consequences may vary depending on the severity of the charges, the state in which the crime was committed, and the accused’s prior criminal record. For example, if you’ve been accused of domestic violence charges, regardless of your location, it’s important to work with an attorney who can guide you in protecting your rights and interests. 4. Misdemeanors Traffic Crimes and DUI: Driving Under the Influence is usually a misdemeanor unless there are extenuating circumstances like multiple DUI prior offenses, drug possession, or an accident involving injuries. There are also some non-alcohol-related traffic violations that are classified as misdemeanors. Some of the more common misdemeanor traffic crimes include: 1st or 2nd DUI Open container Fleeing and eluding Leaving the scene of an accident Reckless driving Driving on a suspended or revoked license Drag racing Indeed, there are several traffic crimes that you could be accused of, depending on your personal circumstances. Like other misdemeanors, a conviction for traffic crimes, including a DUI offense, can carry many consequences. Moreover, it’s important to note that the consequences of traffic crimes can be serious, so it's best to drive safely and obey the law. If you’re convicted of a traffic crime, consulting with an attorney to discuss your options would be beneficial. They can evaluate the facts of your case and develop the right defense strategy. 5. Misdemeanor Drug Crimes: With the exception of marijuana possession, many drug crimes in most states are felonies. Possession of marijuana in any amount is a misdemeanor, but other activities related to the drug, such as selling it to others, can constitute a felony. In certain states, a person can legally carry up to 2.5 ounces of medical marijuana with a valid prescription. Conclusion Being accused of a misdemeanor can be frustrating and stressful. Therefore, to mitigate the impact of a potential misdemeanor charge on your life, keep the above information in mind and seek legal counsel if necessary. Read Also: Protect Your Rights Today With Domestic Violence Lawyers 6 Reasons to Contact a Lawyer before an Arrest in Knoxville

READ MOREDetails
Best Lawyer

Tips and Tricks to Hire the Best Lawyer for Your Case

Having the best lawyer to help you with your cause is critical when you need legal aid. Not all lawyers are the same. To have the right legal team fighting for you can mean the difference between getting the right outcome in court and wondering what went wrong. If you're not familiar with the legal system, it can be difficult to know if you've got a lawyer that's up to the task. Here are several tips to hire the best lawyer. Keep reading and learn more here. Here are several tips to hire the best lawyer: Where to Search Besides the internet search, phone book and a friend who might suggest a lawyer, there are many other sources to find a qualified lawyer. Some organizations offer design to their members, as does the AARP. Moreover, military members are often entitled to some representation, as are some people covered by the umbrella and home insurance policies. Ultimately, the AB Association can also assist you to find a suitable lawyer in your state who is licensed. Find a trustworthy Lawyer Now that you know where to find a lawyer, you need to hire an honest one. You can do this by meeting lawyers through free initial consultations. Many lawyers offer free initial consultations. Use that to your benefit. Use the conference to determine if the lawyer is honest and inevitable. Naturally, some people have the capacity to evaluate the character of an individual within a couple of minutes of communicating with the person; nevertheless, there are some personality characteristics that may also shift you off. Is the prosecutor, for example, searching at you in the sight while relating to you or is he or she staring at the ground? Often, inquire what types of cases they have contested in history. If you are looking for a payout they should be willing to provide you with compensation payments for similar cases to yours. It's essential to feel safe in the knowledge that your lawyer is a trustworthy person before entering into any official relationship. Finding out that the lawyer symbolizing you is damaging your claim because of their dubious credibility would be equally disturbing. Read up on reviews because these are essential. Seek an Experienced Lawyer While having a lawyer that you can trust is essential, it is equally essential that they have great experience in the field of law for which you require their help. For example, you should use an attorney with expertise in property planning to plan your will, a divorce attorney to select divorce papers and a trial attorney to serve you in a criminal matter. General practitioners are ideal for single real estate sales or other non-complex things but their lack of accurate knowledge and expertise in a given field will hurt your case. Consider the Volume of the Lawyer’s Firm Hiring an attorney from a little firm provides advantages. In most cases, you get prompt, personalized attention. Moreover, the lawyer you represent will apparently have a fairly large amount of time to devote to your case. This may not be the place at big firms, where lawyers often have to juggle many cases and may possess a lot of responsibilities towards the firm and its associates that might attract their awareness away from your requirements. Large firms, however, have advantages too. After all, for the cases, they have taken, and their capacity to control decisions, various opposing lawyers and judges cherish and/or fear large respected firms. Generally, big firms also have greater money and labor capacity to study the case and formulate a strategy. Read Also: Keys to Become a Successful Lawyer 5 Ingredients of a Healthy Relationship: Is Your Relationship Healthy?

READ MOREDetails
Criminal Defense Lawyer

What You Can Expect from a Criminal Defense Lawyer

When you are charged with a crime, it’s really a struggling situation to deal with the case. It is a serious concern, and you shouldn’t take it casually. If you don’t take the right steps on time, you may have to stay behind bars or pay hefty penalties. Even if you have some understanding of the legal system and have the intellectual ability, but it does not act in your favor when you are accused of a crime. In such situations, you should find the best possible criminal defense lawyer in your locality, hence make sure to do proper research and then communicate with the lawyer clearly. If you are looking for a criminal defense law firm in San Francisco, CA, you should know what you can expect from them. What They Can Do for You: Apart from collecting information from you and the witnesses, the criminal defense lawyer can help you in many ways that you may not do yourself. They try to contact clients with emails, phones, meetings, reading evidence, etc. Here is what you can expect from a criminal defense lawyer. Make You Understand About the Legal System Explain You About Possible Consequences Plea Bargaining Communicating With Witnesses Dealing With Investigators and Experts Negotiate Case Outcomes Sentencing Do you understand each of the above terms and are able to deal with them? Well, you may have knowledge about these terms, but an experienced and qualified defense lawyer can help you to deal with it in a better way. Now take a look at each of these terms and understand them properly, Read more:  What Do Criminal Defense Attorneys Do? 1. Make You Understand About the Legal System The criminal legal system is really complicated, and many people are not aware of it. But a criminal defense lawyer in Miami can make you understand the law system. If you don’t know anything about the rules and regulations and deal with the case yourself, you may have to face serious consequences. You can ask about different theories and rules to the criminal defense lawyer and he/she will help you understand them. 2. Explain You About Possible Consequences You can also know about the possible consequence of the case. This informations will help you get prepared for the situations in advance and you can become confident to deal with the case. 3. Communicating With Witnesses Most of the time, witnesses may not feel safe ad comfortable sharing the information with you. Again, you might not able to collect the true information from the witness. But the defense lawyers are trained and experienced to collect the evidence or useful information from them. 4. Dealing With Investigators and Experts Dealing with the investigators and expert witnesses is not easy. An experienced defense lawyer can deal with them on your behalf. 5. Plea Bargaining The criminal defense lawyer may help you to negotiate a “plea bargain” with the prosecutor. It can reduce the sentences or some charges against you. Most of the time prosecutors don’t want to bargain with a defendant directly, but they can deal with a defense lawyer. 6. Negotiate Case Outcomes The defense lawyers can also help you to negotiate case outcomes with the jury. As the lawyers are qualified and experienced, they know what are the possible outcomes during a proceeding. So the lawyer remains objective to deal with the outcomes and make a favorable decision about the plea bargain. 7. Sentencing Last but not least, if you are proven guilty, the criminal defense lawyer may be negotiating your sentence and reduce or change it. Conclusion Now you can see that a criminal defense lawyer can help you and fight for you to deal with the case easily. They work towards improving your chances of winning the case and provide you favorable decisions from the court. Read Also: The Basics of Criminal Appeals Law Why You Should Never Try to Defend Yourself in Court 7 Characteristics of a Great Lawyer that can Help Win your Legal Battle

READ MOREDetails