As a Cincinnati car accident lawyer, this is a really common question. People know that not all accidents are avoidable, so they want to know what they should do to protect their rights if they find themselves in this unfortunate situation. Where should you begin?
First: Care for Your Health
Before anything else, make sure your condition and health are stable. Seek the medical attention you need after your car accident, and take care of your physical well-being. Go to the hospital if you need to do that, and go to your doctor if your situation is less urgent. Pursue whatever course of action your doctor advises and allow yourself to focus on getting the care you need before anything else.
Take Your Next Steps
Once you have seen a doctor or visited the hospital, and taken care of yourself in the way that your doctor advises, all of the following are steps you should take. These steps are not sequential – you can do them in any order, and most will progress at the same time. These steps are designed to protect your right to file a claim for your injuries. Contacting a Cincinnati car accident lawyer is, of course, part of this process.
- Take detailed notes about everything that happened. This includes the car accident itself – how it happened, what both parties did, the location, time, all the details you can remember – as well as everything that happened after the accident. Did you seek medical help? Did you go to the Emergency Room? Did you visit any specialists? Did you lose time from work? Did you miss any of your work wages?
- Collect the names and full contact information of any people who saw the car accident take place. These witnesses may be key to your claim. After they have given you their phone numbers and email addresses, call and/or write them to confirm that their contact information is indeed valid and correct.
- Gather any and all photographic evidence you have of the accident, as well as any other evidence that may help you. Evidence that can indicate who was at fault is especially pertinent. Get detailed, clear photographs of the damage to both vehicles. High-resolution images of your injuries will also be central to your claim. Any medical reports, x-rays, prescriptions, or doctor’s notes regarding missed work fall into this category, as well.
- Organize and track all receipts related to your injury and recovery. These would include medical bills, bills from hospital visits, payments for medical supplies, pay stubs indicating lost work time and lost wages, and more. People often overlook travel expenses incurred while traveling to medical appointments, or even expenses such as babysitters you needed to hire in order to seek medical treatment. Any expenses related to your accident or recovery should be documented.
- Contact a personal injury attorney – even if you don’t feel like you need one. Of course, we may seem biased, but MOST people do not fully appreciate the level of compensation they may need to be entitled to after a car accident. It can be easy to be bullied or tempted into accepting a settlement offer from the insurance of the at-fault party, but you should fully understand your rights before signing or accepting any form of compensation related to a car accident injury.
If you are here in Cincinnati, be sure to reach out to us here at Clements, Taylor, Butkovich & Cohen LPA. We have an experienced, talented team of lawyers who can help you through this complicated process. We work at 810 Sycamore St. in downtown Cincinnati, and you can reach us at 513.721.6500, or by using our contact form.