Getting into a vehicle accident in Montgomery County can be chaotic, particularly if you sustain injuries or property damage. It is crucial to be able to recover compensation from the at-fault party, but recovering this compensation can be challenging. There are various steps that you can take in the immediate aftermath of a crash and in the days and weeks that follow to ensure that you recover maximum compensation for your losses.
Report the Crash
As soon as a vehicle accident occurs, you need to take the steps necessary to get your vehicle to safety, if that is possible. Get your vehicle to the side of the road and out of the flow of traffic. If the vehicle is disabled, see if you can get yourself and your passengers to the shoulder of the road if there are no serious injuries. You need to call 911 and report the incident to law enforcement. Police officers need to get to the scene so they can conduct an investigation into the incident and fill out an accident report.
Seek Medical Care Quickly
It is crucial for any person involved in a vehicle accident to seek medical care as soon as they can. After a crash in Montgomery County, we encourage you to consider either taking an ambulance ride to the hospital or going to the closest emergency room or doctor’s office for an evaluation. You will have a much easier chance at recovering compensation for your injuries if you seek medical care right after a crash occurs. This establishes a link between the crash and also helps ensure that you receive proper medical care.
Gather Evidence if You Can
If there are no serious injuries and if the scene is relatively safe, you can begin to gather evidence that can help your claim. We encourage you to use your cell phone and take pictures of anything that may be relevant, including injuries, property damage, debris around the area, any skid marks, traffic and weather conditions, and more.
If you see any bystanders who saw what happened, you should get their names and contact information as soon as possible. You should also get the names and insurance carrier information of any other drivers involved in the crash.
Call Your Insurance Carrier
You need to report the crash to your personal insurance carrier within a day or two after the incident occurs. We do not want you to go into much detail when you contact the insurance carrier. All your carrier needs to know is that the crash occurred and that you are seeking medical care for your injuries. Let them know the name and contact information of the other driver involved. Do not take any calls from the other driver’s insurance carrier.
Contact a Montgomery County Car Accident Lawyer
You need to call a Montgomery County car accident lawyer as soon as you can after the incident occurs. An injury attorney in Montgomery County can use their resources to conduct a complete investigation into the incident, help gather additional evidence that can prove liability, and handle all communication with other parties involved. Importantly, a lawyer will be the one to negotiate with insurance carriers to recover the compensation you are entitled to.
Keep Going to the Doctor
You need to continue medical treatment until after your doctor says you have reached what they consider maximum medical improvement. This will be the point at which any additional medical treatment is unlikely to change your condition. If you choose to discontinue care before reaching maximum medical improvement, the insurance carriers could use this against you and either lower the total settlement amount or deny the claim altogether.