What to Do in the First 24 Hours After a Crash in Savannah
The immediate time after a car accident is a crucial period in several respects. Both your physical health and your legal rights are very much on the line. The actions that you take during this time can both improve your health and your ability to seek full car accident compensation. Conversely, you can also make mistakes that can negatively affect both. When it comes to the legal process, the best way to get ahead early in your case is to hire a car accident lawyer immediately, preferably right after the crash.
Get the Medical Help That You Need
Your physical health is the most important priority after you have been involved in a car accident. If you have required medical treatment at the scene, or you were taken to the hospital, you must continue to receive this help until medical professionals determine that you are safely able to return home.
Even if you were not treated at the scene or taken to the hospital, you must continue to be vigilant about your health within the first 24 hours. Car accident injuries are not always immediately apparent at the scene of the crash because the adrenaline involved may mask medical effects. It may not be until hours after the crash that you begin to notice that you have been hurt. If that is the case, you must seek immediate medical attention because your injuries can grow worse if they are left untreated.
Preserve All Available Evidence
If you have the physical ability to return to the scene of the accident immediately afterward, you should make all efforts to do so. Car accident evidence is only available to you for a limited amount of time. If the accident scene has been cleared, and days pass since the accident, you can lose evidence that you need to prove that the other driver was liable for the crash. If you have any pictures or physical evidence of the accident, it is vital that you take steps to preserve it to the fullest extent possible.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
You may not be actively able to gather car accident evidence on your own in the wake of the crash, especially when you are dealing with physical injuries. At the same time, you may not be prepared to begin the legal process when you are dealing with the aftermath of the crash. However, there are steps that you still need to take right after the accident to strengthen your own legal position.
When you hire a car accident lawyer for your case, you are better able to focus on your health. Your lawyer will deal with the details, such as gathering evidence and dealing with the insurance companies. In other words, your legal case is able to proceed without you having to be fully engaged in all of the details.
Do Not Speak With the Other Driver’s Insurance Company
Almost immediately after the accident, you may receive a call from the other driver’s insurance company in the wake of the accident. They often try to take advantage of your confusion and difficult emotional state after you have been involved in a traumatic crash to elicit information from you. There is no obligation to speak to the other driver’s insurance company.
Even if you do not yet have a lawyer to refer the insurance company to, you should still avoid having a conversation with them about the crash. There is no upside to you from speaking with them. Anything that you say, even if it is when you are still traumatized from the crash, can be used against you when you are filing a claim.
Contact Our Savannah Car Accident Lawyers at Kicklighter Law to Get the Compensation You Deserve if You Have Been Injured in an Accident
Since the legal process can unfold quickly after a motor vehicle crash, you should immediately speak to our Savannah car accident lawyers at Kicklighter Law. To schedule an initial consultation, contact us online or call today at 912-754-6003. Located in Springfield, Georgia, we gladly serve clients in the surrounding areas.