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The moments after a Chicago car accident can be confusing and chaotic. It’s important to know what you should do immediately after to protect yourself and anyone else involved. Read on for a detailed breakdown of nine things to do after a Chicago car accident to keep yourself safe and maximize a future lawsuit’s success.
Get to Safety
First, make sure to get yourself to safety. If your vehicle is still movable, bring it to the side of the road and out of traffic’s way. If your vehicle isn’t mobile, leave the car and get to the side of the road or at least out of the road.
If there’s another person injured in the same accident and you are able to, help them get to safety as well. Staying in harm’s way can exacerbate injuries or lead to secondary injuries after the initial moments of an auto accident.
Contact Emergency Services
Next, call 911 and bring emergency services to your location ASAP. The faster emergency responders, including police officers and medical staff, can get to you, the faster you can be stabilized. Furthermore, a faster emergency response corresponds with lighter injuries and faster recovery.
Do not call anyone aside from emergency services right away. In the aftermath of an auto accident, your top and only priority should be getting medical help. This is true no matter how severe or apparent you think your injuries may be.
Exchange Insurance Information
If possible – and assuming you and the other driver are both relatively uninjured – exchange your insurance information with that other driver once you are both out of the way of traffic. Note that you should not call your insurance company or their insurance company at this juncture. You should wait for your legal representative to help arrive and be briefed on the situation first.
Get Checked Out
Once emergency personnel arrive on the scene of the accident, be sure to get examined by a medical professional. Do not simply leave the scene of the auto accident or assume you are uninjured.
Being in an auto accident can be stressful and cause adrenaline to flood your body. These biological reactions can mask the symptoms of internal injuries or other ailments. In some cases, you could be seriously injured but not know it until hours or even days after an accident has occurred.
A medical professional can identify hidden injuries and make sure you go to the hospital if needed. Alternatively, they can treat you at the scene of the accident and make sure minor injuries don’t become more severe over time.
If a medical professional says you should go to the hospital, listen to them. They know what they’re talking about and they only have your best interests in mind.
Call Friends or Family
Getting medical attention should be your top priority. But after you are stabilized, feel free to call your friends or family members and let them know that you are okay. It can be easy to forget this step due to the adrenaline or the chaos of the aftermath of a car accident in Chicago. But your friends and family members need to know that you are healthy and safe, especially if you were expected somewhere prior to the accident.
Contact a Chicago Car Accident Attorney
At this stage, it’s a good idea to contact legal representatives, such as Chicago car accident attorneys. The right legal team can do a lot to help you after a car accident, including:
● Gathering your statement and the statements of eyewitnesses, including the other driver in some circumstances
● Gathering evidence if necessary to prepare a lawsuit or arbitration case, such as speaking to police to get police reports or collecting traffic camera footage
● And more
More than anything else, Chicago auto accident attorneys can offer sound legal counsel and tell you whether you should press charges against another driver. Successful auto accident lawsuits are contingent on being able to prove negligence. If this is unlikely or impossible, your lawyer may advise against it.
However, your lawyer may tell you that you can secure compensation for your injuries if someone else was clearly at fault for the auto accident. Alternatively, legal professionals can protect you if the other driver tries to accuse you of causing the car accident.
Contact Your Insurance Company
You should contact legal professionals before speaking to an insurance company because:
● Insurance companies are not on your side. Instead, it’s their job to avoid having to pay for your medical bills or other expenses
● It can be intimidating to speak to another driver’s insurance company
● Your legal team knows what to say and how to negotiate with your insurance company on your behalf
With a lawyer helping you, you’ll be much more secure in your insurance claim.
Decide Whether to File a Lawsuit
As noted above, a lawyer can tell you whether it’s a wise idea to file a Chicago car accident lawsuit. Lawsuits are never open and shut, despite what they may seem to be on the surface. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, your lawyer may recommend filing a lawsuit or avoiding one entirely.
If the other driver tries to accuse you of causing the accident, your lawyer can erect a defense on your behalf and make sure you don’t have to pay exorbitant damages.
Rest and Recuperate
Lastly, take the time to rest and recuperate after your Chicago auto accident. Even if you have to file a lawsuit, you need to take time to let your body and mind recover from the ordeal. Any auto accident can be dangerous or traumatizing, so be sure to let your legal team take on the majority of your lawsuit’s burden.
Not sure who to contact? Drake & Collopy, P.C. is the best choice for your Chicago auto accident law firm. As experienced car accidents and personal injury rather than representatives, we’re well equipped and ready to assist with your auto accident lawsuit. Contact us today for a free case evaluation and consultation.
