No driver gets behind the wheel of a vehicle expecting to be involved in an accident. Because these accidents are never planned for, it can be challenging for drivers to know what course of action they should take after being involved in an accident.
Here are three simple things that you should do to protect your legal rights after being involved in a car accident in the future.
1. Don't sign anything your attorney hasn't had a chance to review.
If a witness or another driver involved in the car accident attempt to have you sign a statement or any other type of document, do not sign until your lawyer has had a chance to review the statement. Drivers who are injured in an accident may want to seek financial compensation for their pain and suffering via a personal injury lawsuit.
If you sign a statement that implies in any way that you are at fault for causing the accident, you could be forfeiting your right to a lawsuit. By having your attorney review any documents you are being requested to sign, you ensure that your right to pursue financial damages remains intact.
2. Immediately contact your insurance company.
Some drivers are tempted to forego contacting their insurance company after an accident in an attempt to keep premiums low. Failing to notify your insurance company of your involvement in an accident could disastrous when it comes to protecting your legal rights after an accident.
Your insurance company will pay to repair the damages to your vehicle in the event the driver who caused the accident doesn't have insurance or is unwilling to pay. If you don't tell your insurance company an accident has taken place, they have no way of verifying the repairs you want them to pay for occurred in the accident. Contacting your insurance agent immediately following an accident preserves your right to utilize your insurance policy when making repairs.
3. Seek medical attention.
Although you might not feel like you sustained any injuries in your accident, it's best to seek medical attention anyway if you want to protect your rights.
Some injuries can take a few days to manifest, but failing to seek immediate medical attention after your accident could prevent you from trying to seek financial compensation for the treatment of a delayed injury in court. By agreeing to see a doctor immediately following your accident, you can easily document that the injuries you sustained were caused by the accident and not some unrelated event.
Protecting your rights following a car accident allows you the option of pursuing a case in court. Be sure that you don't sign any documents at the scene of the crash, that you notify your insurance agent of the accident, and that you seek immediate medical attention to ensure you can seek financial compensation in court. For more information, contact companies like Gartner Law Firm.
