Car accidents are traumatic and have potentially life-changing consequences, depending on their severity. In the event of a car accident, the first thing you should always do is check on the safety of yourself and any passengers you have. Afterward, you should check on the other party.
Once the immediate concerns have been attended to, and the dust has settled a bit, it’s time to make a more serious look into other pressing matters. In addition to the hospitalization and medical expenses, your vehicle should also be examined to see how much damage has been done.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, you may be wondering if and when you will need a lawyer. This article will answer your car accident questions so you know what to do.
What Should You Do Right After a Car Accident?
After the car accident, and after ensuring that everybody involved is safe and not in a critical condition, take extensive photos of the scene.
Wide-angle shots and zoomed shots of the impact areas may be necessary to prove your claims before the insurance company. If you can take videos of the scene that can show it from multiple angles, that can also help establish your claim.
If someone is injured, make sure to remain at the scene of the crime. California laws require parties to a car accident to remain until the police come unless urgent medical assistance is required.
After ensuring that the area is safe, make sure to move the cars to a safer place to prevent impeding the flow of traffic.
Make sure to exchange contact information with the other driver. This includes license, insurance, and registration information. These will be critical to filing your claim before the insurance company.
How Can You Claim Compensation for Damages?
California is a fault state, so compensation claims should be filed with the insurance company of the party at fault.
Since California requires all drivers to carry bodily injury coverage and property damage liability, you might think that recovering from the insurance company is easy.
Unfortunately, it’s not always that way. Insurance companies usually try to disclaim any liability by claiming that you were negligent or that you contributed to the accident. Under California’s laws on comparative fault, this can result in either reducing the amount you can claim or not making you eligible to claim compensation at all.
Find Out if You Need a Lawyer for a Car Accident
We understand just how frustrating it can be to have your claims rejected even after you’ve suffered from a car accident. In these cases, it could be in your best interests to have the assistance of an experienced car accident lawyer.
At Kohan & Bablove Injury Attorneys, our lawyers can help you fight for your right to claim just compensation after a car accident. We only give the best representation possible to ensure that you can recover all that you’re entitled to under the law.
Call us now at 1-844-404-2400 or fill out the form below for a free consultation on your case!
