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I Just Got Hit
Your first reaction after you get hit will most likely be a mix of anger and confusion. Due to these emotions taking over your psyche, you may end up making mistakes in how you react to the accident. This may sound counter-intuitive, but you need to keep calm in such situations and start making observations.
Since a car accident has the potential to leave you reeling financially and negatively affect your psychological and physical health, you need to take preventative measures immediately after the accident. Taking these measures can help you later when you are seeking compensation.
Take These Steps After An Accident
You need to take in as much information as possible about the other vehicle if you are hit in an accident. You can do this by:
- Taking photos of the accident scene including the damage to your car
- Collecting contact information and names of the eye witnesses
- Taking note of the make, color and license plate number of the other driver’s vehicle
- Look around if there are surveillance cameras that may have captured the accident
All this information including the police statement of your accident and medical forms can allow your personal injury lawyer build a strong case on your behalf. You should collect all this information after dialing 911.
See also…I got hit by an Uber driver.
What Not To Do
There are certain things that you should not do if you want to protect your future after you are hit. First, do not ignore medical attention even if you feel no pain or experience no symptoms. An insurance adjuster or the lawyer for the at-fault party may use the fact that you did not seek medical attention against you in court. They may use that fact to argue for a reduction of your compensation amount.
Another thing not to do, giving a recorded statement or any written statement to the adjuster of the at-fault party’s insurance company. The adjuster is not on your side and is only interested in recording you say something that may make it easier to reduce your compensation amount, or deny you compensation altogether. Only give basic information such as your name or contact information to insurance adjusters. Let your lawyer talk to the insurance company on your behalf.
You should also not deposit a check from the at-fault party’s insurance company until your lawyer has reviewed the check. There is often a letter in the back or front of the check that may make it harder for you to receive more money for treatment in the future. Finally, do not sign a release waiver if your lawyer has not read the paperwork.
When A Car Hits A Pedestrian
There are many situations where a pedestrian can get hit by a car. In most cases, the driver of the car is distracted, or intoxicated, or is just failing to observe traffic rules. Bicyclists and pedestrians can suffer serious injuries because they do not have any protective barrier between their bodies and the force of impact from a car.
Since such injuries can affect every aspect of your life including your ability to make a living, you need to seek compensation. The compensation amount could help you put the incident behind you and allow you to focus on healing both mentally and physically.