Getting into a car accident is a terrifying experience. Walking away with a serious injury makes the experience all the more excruciating. In the stress of the moment, it can be hard to figure out what you can do next. Like, should you contact a car injury lawyer?
How can you deal with a bodily or personal injury after a car accident, and what’s the difference between them?
Although the situation will be stressful, there are ways that you can move forward after a serious car accident. Here are some steps to take after a car accident, the difference between a bodily injury and a personal injury, and when you should contact a car injury lawyer for assistance.
Bodily Injury vs. Personal Injury: What’s the Difference?
Before filing a claim, you’ll need to figure out whether you have a bodily injury or a personal injury. Your compensation will vary depending on the type of injury you received. While many people have used bodily injury and personal injury interchangeably, there is a difference between the two.
Personal injury is a broad scope that refers to any injury you’ve received during or after the accident takes place. This can include physical, mental, and emotional injuries or illnesses. Personal injury law allows you to pursue compensation for any damage that you’ve received from an accident.
Meanwhile, bodily injury is a more precise term that refers solely to injuries that occur on your body because of an accident. Specific injuries are included in this, so do your research to make sure that whatever injury you’ve received qualifies as a bodily injury. A car injury lawyer can help you determine whether or not you could get compensation for your injury.
What to Do After Receiving an Injury
Now that you have an understanding of the difference between a bodily injury and a personal injury, you’ll need to know what your next steps should be. Here are a few crucial things that you should do after being involved in an accident.
Collect Evidence
Immediately after the accident takes place, you should start collecting evidence from the crash site. Take photos of the damage to both cars involved and any injuries you’ve sustained. This can be used as evidence in a court of law.
You should also communicate with any drivers involved and exchange information. Gather names, insurance details, contact information, and vehicle details for all cars involved in the accident.
There may have been witnesses who viewed the scene as well. Make sure you talk to any pedestrians for their take on the accident; keep detailed notes so that you can show them to a lawyer later.
Finally, go around and take notes of any traffic signs that were around the scene of the accident. These signs may help show who was at fault, along with the damage done to the cars.
Contact a Car Injury Lawyer
Once you’ve gathered your evidence, you should reach out to a lawyer right away. They can help you properly compile your evidence and work out what steps you should take next. You’ll want a lawyer before getting in contact with your insurance company, as a lawyer will better know how to communicate with your insurance providers.
Share any evidence you were able to gather from the scene with your lawyer and explain your injuries in detail. Not only should you mention physical injuries, but also any psychological or mental damage you received from the accident. This will help your lawyer figure out what type of claim they should file.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Once you’ve worked everything out with your attorney, it’s time to contact your insurance company. Make sure to take notes from your lawyer so that you know what to say. Your insurance company will need as much information as possible from the accident in order to prove the other driver was at fault, so give them any evidence you received after the accident.
File a Claim
Your final step will be to file a claim against the driver at fault. Your car injury lawyer will be able to help you through the filing process and answer any questions you may have, so don’t be afraid to voice your concerns.
If the driver at fault doesn’t have insurance, or if their insurance doesn’t cover all of your medical bills from the accident, you may have an uphill battle ahead of you. Your lawyer will be able to help you work out your next steps should this happen, though you may have to wait longer for compensation.
In this scenario, you may have to place a lawsuit against the driver at fault for negligent driving. You will likely have to do this if you sustained serious injuries and need a lot of medical treatment, or if the driver is uninsured and can’t offer you compensation. Your lawyer can help you through this lawsuit as well.
Keep copies of any claims you create as a backup. Make sure you have both digital and physical records of your files and evidence in case you do have to move forward with a lawsuit.
Move Forward With Confidence
Sustaining an injury after a serious car accident doesn’t have to be the end for you. With the help of a car injury lawyer, you can move past your injury and get proper compensation for your troubles. When in doubt, ask a professional car accident attorney for advice.
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