Your First Steps
If you are involved in a car accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence, taking all of the following steps that apply to your situation represent the best path forward:
Drive your vehicle as far out of the path of oncoming traffic as it is possible (and safe) for you to do so.
Call 911.
If anyone else is injured and you are able to provide aid, do so to the best of your ability.
Accept medical care at the scene of the accident if it is offered, and if it is not, seek the medical attention you need as soon as you are able to do so. (Do Not Delay Seeking Medical Care after a Car Accident)
If you are able to do so, gather statements and contact information from eyewitnesses at the scene.
If you are able to do so, snap comprehensive photos and videos that depict the accident and its aftermath as clearly as possible.
Do not comment on how the accident happened unless an attending officer directly asks you to do so. (Read more on waiting before Speaking with the Police)
The early steps that you take after being injured in a car accident that was caused by someone else’s negligence set the stage for your personal injury claim and can go a long way toward bolstering that claim and protecting your best interests.
Identifying Your Damages
The crux of your personal injury claim is pursuing just compensation for the physical, financial, and emotional damages you have suffered. As such, you will need to demonstrate the extent of your physical injuries, which requires that you not only seek the medical care and treatment that you need from the outset but that you also follow through with your doctor’s instructions and recommendations. In addition to identifying your financial damages as they relate to your injuries and medical expenses, it is important to also include your financial damages as they relate to lost earnings and to your emotional damages as they relate to your pain and suffering.
Work Closely with an Experienced Killeen Personal Injury Attorney
After covering the bases outlined above, the most important thing that you can do to help protect your claim and your own best interests is work closely with a dedicated personal injury attorney throughout the legal process. Brett Pritchard at The Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard in Killeen, Texas, is an accomplished personal injury attorney who is committed to skillfully advocating for your case’s most beneficial resolution. For more information about how we can help you, please do not hesitate to contact us online or call us at 254-501-4040 today.
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