Car Accident Lawsuit: What You Can do to Protect Your Rights

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there's a crash in the United States every minute of every day. When you add it up, that is more than 1,400 crashes every single day, and many of these result in at least one party suffering severe injuries.

Of those who suffer injuries, very few recognize what rights they have and how to protect them. Some people may feel they know what to do, but adrenaline and shock can make it easy to overlook the necessary steps. Unfortunately, this means missing out on critical pieces of evidence.

It's crucial to recognize the various steps that can help build a strong car accident claim or potential lawsuit. If it's not possible to take these steps due to an injury, getting help at the scene of the accident becomes critical.

Information to Exchange

Part of filing a claim means having the negligent party's contact and insurance information. You should ask the other driver for his or her driver's license, insurance card, and contact information. You'll provide this to your insurance company to help begin your claim.

If you can show that the other driver was negligent, your claim will go through his or her insurance company. Gathering the contact information for the insurance provider can help you recognize who to contact.

Reports to File

Contact the local authorities and your insurance company immediately following the crash. You want to have your claim on file as soon as possible. Make sure you let the authorities know if there are any injured parties so that they can dispatch an ambulance as well.

Filing a report with the local authorities helps with evidence. You can use the police report and any statements gathered by the police to support your claim and a potential lawsuit.

Pictures to Take

Ensure you take photos of the damage to all vehicles involved, including close-ups and wide-angle shots. Take pictures of the scene of the accident to help show if there were any signs of negligence—such as tire marks from one party slamming on the brakes. Finally, take photos of all visible injuries you and your passengers sustained because of the accident.

Professionals to Contact

Should you suffer an injury, once the ambulance arrives, you should discuss any pain you're feeling with the paramedics at the scene. You should start to receive medical treatment as soon as possible to help start the recovery process. You can also use this as an opportunity to gather a medical record associated with the crash that you can use with your claim.

You also want to contact a legal professional who can help you understand what you should and should not do moving forward. A legal professional can meet you at the hospital or at his or her office to determine if you have a claim. He or she will also explain what legal action is available if the insurance company denies your claim.

At The Edwards Law Firm, we want you to be aware of your rights throughout the legal process and recognize how you can pursue compensation. Taking these steps above can help you from the very beginning and prevents the insurance company from taking advantage of your vulnerable situation.

Trust in our Corpus Christi car accident attorneys to help you in one of the most challenging times of your life. We'll be by your side every step of the way. Get your claim started quickly—the faster you begin, the better the chance of seeing positive results, and the sooner you can obtain justice.

Call our firm today at 361-698-7600 to discuss your potential case with our firm in a free consultation. We'll determine what rights you have before you make the financial decision to move forward.