As any experienced Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer knows, traffic accidents happen all the time. The worst traffic accidents of the day are often the stuff of evening news. However, what the news doesn’t reveal is the difficult road all parties involved must take in the days or months after even the simplest of traffic accidents.
Fortunately, however, our experience working with traffic accident clients here at Lisa S. Levine P.A. has taught us that several things can be done immediately after the accident that can help make the experience less harrowing for all parties involved.
Immediately after the accident, make sure that everyone involved is okay. If the event involves another vehicle, that means checking on the occupants of the other vehicle as well. Doing so will allow you to avoid any negligence issues that may arise from not immediately attending to the welfare of the other party. Call 911 immediately if anyone reports an injury, if the cause of the accident is unclear, or the accident resulted in major damage to the vehicle or any property in the area.
After making sure that everyone is okay and collecting contact and insurance information from other parties involved, talk to bystanders who may have witnessed it take place. If possible, try to get their contact information as well. While talking to anyone at the scene of the accident, however, be careful to watch what you say. Avoid apologizing, even if it may seem impolite, as this may be seen as an admission of liability.
Call your insurance company afterward and notify them of the accident regardless of whether it was your fault or not, then begin documenting the scene of the accident. Take pictures of the scene and any elements of it that may serve as evidence. These include any skid marks that may have been left, the damage to both cars, all relevant license plates, and, if possible, the faces of the other drivers. Additionally, take notes detailing the weather, road conditions and how the accident took place. A sketch may also prove useful.
Once it is appropriate to leave the scene, immediately work on filing a claim. Once you obtain a property damage figure from your insurance company, check it to ensure that you’ll be receiving a reasonable amount of coverage. If not, seek better quotes.
Finally, get in touch with an attorney. Some attorneys specialize in certain fields, so if an accident involves a truck, for example, contact a reliable Fort Lauderdale truck accident lawyer for help. Lisa S. Levine P.A. can assist you with such cases, the different types of which are listed under Auto Accidents on our website.
