Accidents happen unexpectedly, causing confusion and soaring emotions. It is common to get lost in the blame game and forget you’re hurt. In Florida, car accidents happen far too frequently. Over 200,000 vehicle accidents occur yearly, and 2,699 have resulted in fatalities. You should prepare before driving those roads because Florida has some of the nation’s lowest insurance requirements.
The Florida Department of Transportation has stated that Broad Street and Jefferson Street in Brooksville, FL, are the two streets where accidents happen most frequently. Brooksville residents must be aware of these locations and remain vigilant. Should you seek medical care, call your lawyer, leave the scene, or collect evidence in the aftermath of a car accident? Read on to find out.
Table of Contents
1. Get Medical Attention
Accidents leave major or minor physical and emotional injuries in the absence of fatalities. According to car accident lawyers in Brooksville, FL, bruises, lacerations, deep gushes, concussions, and broken bones can be life-threatening if left unattended.
Call the nearest hospital’s hotline or any other emergency medical service number if you are seriously hurt. This ensures you get a medical evacuation as soon as possible. Brain-related injuries or internal bleeding can be fatal if left unattended for an extended period.
Ensure you get a medical checkup from a qualified physician even if you look physically fit. Delayed medical attention can work against you when you file a compensation claim with the defendant’s insurer. The insurance company might blame you, claiming your injuries are not genuine or as severe as you say. Remember that the insurance company has profit margins to attain, so your health comes second.
2. Call Emergency Services
The second thing you do after calling a doctor is to summon the police. The police play a crucial role in such scenarios. For example, they write an accident report, part of the evidence needed when filing a compensation claim.
The police also secure the scene. Ideally, this is your obligation, but someone has to do it since you’re hurt. They could erect warning signs and create detours to ease traffic if the crash occurred on a busy road.
The defendant’s contacts, plate number, license number, and insurance information are essential. Knowing this, some rogue drivers might try to escape or refuse to willingly divulge the needed data. Police presence is, therefore, necessary to prevent it from happening.
Law enforcement officers ensure that all evidence remains intact until everything has been recorded and kept away carefully.
3. Contact Your Attorney
Personal injury attorneys do more than represent you in court. After sustaining life-threatening injuries, you need a helper, and an experienced personal injury attorney can be handy.
Contact your attorneys or hire one without delay to ease your workload and maximize your chances of compensation. Lawyers know the best medical centers around and have connections with plaintiff-friendly juries. They can get you help in no time, thanks to their connections.
Remember that anything you say on the accident scene can and will be used against you by the defendants and their insurers. Knowing the right thing to say to avoid liability is pretty hard. Your personal injury attorney can communicate with the police and insurers while you rest and recover.
4. Collect Relevant Evidence
You can proceed to collect evidence with the help of your lawyer if you aren’t severely hurt. However, leaving the matters to a trustworthy attorney and seeking medical attention is advisable. The evidence collected will help you prove liability and get the compensation you deserve.
Where applicable, jot down the defendant’s contact information. Do the same for the eyewitnesses to ease the follow-up process later. You can also take pictures of visible damage like broken glass, twisted metal, and skid marks on the tarmac.
Your lawyer can also obtain CCTV footage from nearby buildings. Ensure the pictures or videos taken capture location markers like street names.
5. Contact the Insurers
The Florida statute of limitations gives you two years to file a compensation claim. Ensure you contact them once you collect and file evidence to present your claim’s authenticity. It shows your claim is genuine and not an afterthought.
Final Word
Getting hurt in an auto accident is inevitable. Don’t let emotions and confusion cloud your mind. First, seek medical help, then summon the police to secure the site. Fortunately, a personal injury lawyer can help with the last four steps as you seek medical attention.
