Car Accident Lawyer
The adrenaline after a car crash is exhilarating and terrifying. It is often challenging to determine the extent of your injuries, but you must take a breath and acknowledge the situation. While difficult, try to prevent yourself from going into a full-blown panic attack. It would be best if you had your wits about you to determine the next steps, which can prevent further loss or injury. There are a few things every driver should do following an accident to ensure their safety.
Assess Your Pain and Injuries
You need to look over your body for signs of trauma and blood loss. However, before that, you need to determine if you can move freely. Do you feel any pain in your abdomen or sides? If so, limit movement and contact 911 immediately.
If you can move freely, then take a moment and check on any passengers. If everyone is OK, then you should exit your vehicle and check on the other driver. It is essential to move to safety if you can, remaining in the roadway is a risk, and it should only be done if you cannot move because of injury.
Call Emergency Services
Whether injuries are minor or severe, you should contact emergency services. If all parties appear OK with only minor abrasions, then you can call the non emergency number for the police. For insurance reasons, you should contact the police to make an official accident report.
When injuries are severe, the only option is to call 911 without hesitation. The quicker an ambulance can get on the scene, the better the chances are for all parties. Depending on the number of victims, multiple ambulances may arrive. If possible, you should allow the EMTs to check you out before you leave the scene.
Visit With Your Doctor
Immediately following an accident, you should schedule a visit with your doctor or go to the emergency room. Most primary care physicians will make time in their day to see an accident victim because they know trauma can be hidden by adrenaline. Visiting your physician also starts a paper trail for any injuries resulting from the accident, which you will need if you decide to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
Immediately following an accident, the vital thing to remember is to stay calm. You need to have a clear head to assess your trauma and the injuries of others. When the accident is done and you have had a few days to evaluate the experience, contact a car accident lawyer, like from Davis & Brusca, to discuss your legal options.