In the case of an accident involving a car in Michigan, it is important to follow some legal, medical and insurance steps immediately to look after your health and rights. It is extremely scary and stressful when you are in a car accident and end up with personal injuries.
The best personal injury attorney in Michigan has put together this guide full of advice you should follow right after an accident—while it takes place, soon after and in the following days.
Use this advice on collecting effective evidence, seeing a doctor for your medical problems, filing a claim with your insurance company and reaching out to experts to safeguard your rights if the accident was not your fault in order to be given compensation. Are you ready?
See if you were injured and Ask for Assistance
After any accident, if possible, check if you, your family or the people in the other car have been harmed. Even if the accident seems small, you should still be checked over, as adrenaline and shock can hide real trauma that air bags or forces did during the crash.
If you have the chance to help, the quickest response should be to call 911 if you see intense pain, blood loss or if someone is unresponsive. It is very important to ask for help in car accidents since this activates the arrival of an ambulance to move anyone who requires care to a medical center.
If the complaint is something minor like bruising, stiff neck or a touch of forgetfulness, get yourself or the victim safely to a new place and take a vehicle or call for any non-emergency transport to a hospital or clinic. But I always suggest that people involved in accidents contact emergency services by dialing 911 first. Police may also come to the scene to officially record the car crash.
Important! No matter how small your pain feels, always look for a medical examination, as this information is important if you go the legal route.
Picking up any evidentiary clues from where the event took place
Gather helpful information as first responders are delay before arriving at the accident location. You should take a few pictures of the damage to every car, skid marks if they are present, all the scatter around the site and clear views of how the weather or road looks near the accident. During the process, get the other party’s contact information and collect statements from nearby motorists or people.
It is important to jot down the date and time, the correct locations for each car, their directions of movement, the allowed speed, traffic markers or signals and anything else that could block your view of the road. See if you could see if the other driver was also distracted behind the wheel. Pictures and descriptions from the scene, even with a cell phone, will assist your Michigan personal injury attorney to prove what caused your injury at a later point.
All the essential crash evidences will be distributed to your insurance company and attorney to demonstrate who was at fault and get you due compensation. If you are not seriously hurt, try to stay where the accident happened to complete the steps for documenting it.
Contacting Your Car Insurer after an Accident
When permitted by the rescue team, remember to take care of these insurance actions as soon as possible for your safety.
- Call your car insurance company and inform them about the accident and then start the process of filing an initial claim – As I recommend, get a professional or attorney to help you with the claim.
- Get hold of the other driver’s insurance company name and also their policy details and account number
- Recall and describe what took place during the accident if asked, but do not say that you are the only one at fault.
- Request a copy of the police report when it is ready to deliver to your insurers
- Get the opinion of an experienced personal injury attorney before discussing matters of liability with insurers or attempting to settle your injury claim.
- Because Michigan Insurers search for ways to reduce your payout, seek legal counsel right away as soon as you have an auto accident.
Visiting a Medical Facility if you are Hurt in a Car Accident
In case you feel okay right away after an accident, still go to a doctor to make sure you don’t have hidden injuries. It is common for concussion, internal bleeding, fracture or soft tissue damage symptoms to be noticed later, as adrenaline reduces in a patient’s body.
Be sure to share with the doctor every detail of the accident, as this is important for the doctor to diagnose correctly and record the information. Also, store all documents related to your medical appointments, scans, surgeries, prescribed medicine, devices and billed fees. Documentation will play a key part in proving your case to the insurers.
At the end, follow whatever your doctor advises to ensure proper and complete healing from a car accident. Failing to seek proper care after a collision can make your legal negotiations more complicated, so ensure you get the recommended treatment with the right caregivers.
Final Thoughts
It is not possible to go back and prevent trauma from a disaster, but sticking to the required steps will ensure you get fair reimbursement. Your main priority should be taking care of yourself physically and emotionally, since an expert can work hard to help you.
