What To Do Following A Car Accident In Longmont
The aftermath of a car accident can be an incredibly confusing and scary experience. While the main concern after any accident needs to be your well-being, you also need to take steps to ensure you receive full compensation if another person’s negligence caused the crash. At Cannon Law, our Longmont car accident attorneys want to review essential steps you should take following any traffic collision. Contact our law firm for a free consultation to
Follow These Steps to Help Your Claim
As chaotic as the aftermath of an accident may seem, the steps you need to take to ensure your well-being begin immediately and continue for weeks after a crash occurs.
Pull Over and Call for Help
If your vehicle can safely move after a crash, pull it to a safe location and dial 911. Report the incident to emergency dispatchers so that law enforcement and emergency medical services can get to the scene. If you have downloaded the Crash Genius app, then you should open it and follow the instructions. This free app is available on smartphones and can walk you through the steps to take as soon as an accident occurs. Crash Genius can even detect that a crash has occurred and check to make sure you are okay.
Seek Medical Treatment
You need to seek medical treatment for any injuries you have occurred. Even if you think your injuries are relatively minor, you need to let a doctor make this determination. Not only does seeking immediate medical care assist your well-being, but it also establishes that your injuries were caused by the crash, which is something insurance carriers will be looking at.
Gather Evidence
If you are able to safely do so, use your smartphone or another camera to take photographs of the accident scene. This includes photos of any vehicle damage, injuries, possible causes of the crash, the debris field, and more. If there were any eyewitnesses to the crash, get their names and phone numbers. Make sure you ask the responding police officer how to obtain an official copy of the accident report.
Talk to the Insurance Carrier (but Carefully)
You will need to report the accident to your insurance carrier fairly soon after the incident occurs, but you do not have to go into detail. Your initial report should only include information about the driver and vehicles involved. Everything you say to an insurance carrier could be used against you to reduce your settlement, so do not speak about your injuries or possible causes of the crash to the insurance carrier.
Continue Your Medical Care
It is vital that you continue receiving medical care until your doctor says you have reached maximum medical improvement. If you fail to continue your medical treatment, the insurance carrier of the at-fault driver could use this to say that you were not really harmed, thereby reducing the settlement amount.
Speak to an Attorney Who Can Help Maximize Your Compensation
Unfortunately, most car accident victims that have suffered personal injury in Longmont do not have the resources necessary to obtain maximum compensation for their claim. In the aftermath of sustaining injuries in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence, victims may be entitled to recover various types of compensation for their losses. At Cannon Law, our team is regularly able to help clients secure the following:
- Compensation for all crash-related medical bills
- Lost income if they are unable to work
- Loss of enjoyment of life damages
- Pain and suffering damages
- Possible punitive damages against a grossly negligent driver
When you need a Longmont car accident attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or by calling our law firm at (970) 471-7170.