In this episode of our podcast, John Edwards discusses the various things you should do, and things to avoid, after a car accident.
What Should I Do After Being Injured In A Car Accident?
The first thing is, call the police, report the auto accident, and get them out there to investigate. Also, determine whether or not anyone needs medical care. Unless you’re a trained medical technician, don’t move people. Don’t provide care that might further their injuries. Once everyone is safe, and the police are called, exchange contact and insurance information with the other folks. With everyone having cell phones, it’s good to take a picture of their driver’s license and insurance information.
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You also want to take pictures of the scene of the accident, because the other side’s story sometimes changes once the police or their insurance company gets involved. Those pictures are helpful in showing the location of the vehicles, the scene, and the surroundings. If you’re injured, let the paramedics know. They’ll decide whether or not you need transport to the hospital. Even if they decide it’s not required, it’s always a good idea to see your doctor after a collision, whether that be the emergency room, or a doc-in-the-box, or your physician. After a car accident, people are filled with adrenaline, and they don’t realize they’re hurt until after everything calms down. So, go and get checked out.
Take Care in How You Talk
What’s more, we all want answers. However, when talking with the police or the other party, only say things you’re certain of, and do not guess. That guess can be wrong and become a problem in the case later on. Finally, if your vehicle’s being towed, find out where it’s being towed.
After all that, call your own insurance company, and the other party’s insurance company and report the event. When you’re talking to the other side’s insurance company, only talk to them about the facts of the collision and not your injuries. Communicate the liability side of the claim and why it’s the fault of the other party. Then once the dust settles, talk to an Injury Attorney in Boise who does this work who does this work, and we can guide you on whether or not you’re going to need help or how to handle it on your own.
What do I do if the person that hit me doesn’t have insurance?
That can be a terrible thing if you don’t have your own appropriate coverage on your car. Everyone who is able should have uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverages. Those coverages protect the people in your vehicle. Those folks are the ones you care for. It’s family and friends. Also, if the other side is uncovered, your coverage will step in and pay the damages. With underinsured coverage, your policy will cover the deficit.
Let’s say I’m partially at fault for the accidents. Can I still get my medical bills paid?
John: Who made that determination? That’s something you need to talk to a Car Accident Attorney Boise ID about before you make any admission of fault. What may seem like fault may in fact not be so. Don’t admit any fault until you talk to a lawyer. What’s more, if you have medical payments coverage, then it will pay the medical expenses of the people in your car after a car accident, whether it’s your fault or someone else’s. It’s good coverage to have.
If passengers are usually family members, and they are insured under a health insurance program, and you know that, then you don’t need to carry a great deal of medical payments coverage. You can carry one to five thousand dollars. If your family is not insured for any reason, then carry a bigger medical payments policy.
Call Or Text Attorney John Edwards for a free case review and evaluation at (208) 328-6998