Got Injured Recently? Here Are The Important Steps You Should Take Immediately

Sadly, accidents are a part of our everyday lives, and they can occur for a variety of reasons. People are slipping and falling, getting injured at work, or crashing their cars all over the world. Added to that are such things as dog bites or items falling from overhead.

People often feel in a state of shock after they have had an accident. They may be uncertain as to what has happened, or why. It may be that they are injured and that someone else was responsible. Perhaps you are in this situation right now. This article has been written to let you know the next steps you should take. 

Appoint A Personal Injury Lawyer

McAlester is a city in Oklahoma with a population of more than 18,000 people. Every year there are car crashes, and some of them are fatal. The personal injury lawyers in McAlester say that many people seek professional help with accident investigations and dealing with insurance companies. They also want assistance with paying their medical and mortgage bills and repairing their cars. 

Legal attorneys are skilled and experienced in fighting to get fair compensation for their clients. Statistics confirm that people usually get a higher settlement figure if they appoint a legal advocate. Professional help can be invaluable if the other party denies responsibility or if the matter ends up in court. 

Establish What Has Happened

At the scene of the accident, ask any witnesses for their account. Whilst you will need to get the facts clear in your mind, don’t apportion blame or seek to retaliate. 

Don’t apologize to the other party, as they could use that as an admission of liability. 

Call 911

There are a number of scenarios where the Police will need to attend an accident site before the involved parties can leave. Their assessment will be entered into a Police statement which could later be used as evidence for your case. 

If the incident was a vehicle collision, every person and car will need to be removed from the road. Any debris should also be relocated, to prevent further accidents from occurring.

Seek Medical Assistance

It may be that an ambulance will be arriving with the Police car. If not, go straight to the hospital or your doctor. They will immediately document the incident. If you leave it a while before doing this, it could invalidate your case. The other party could claim you were injured after the incident occurred. 

A medical assessment will be essential in case you need x-rays, MRI, or CT scans. The naked eye can not see all injuries, and some bruises take awhile to appear. Some secondary symptoms may also materialize at a later date. The doctor (and possibly specialist’s) report could prove key evidence for your settlement claim. 

Compile The Paperwork

Write down the name, address, and contact number of the other party. If it was a car crash, make sure it was their car they were driving. Get the person’s insurance and driving license details. Also, write down the contact details of any witnesses. They may be prepared to recite a statement into your smartphone before they leave. 

Take pictures at the accident scene. They should include the vehicles and their damage, their license plates, and any car debris. If there were issues with the road, capture this too. There could have been overgrown trees blocking visibility or loose gravel or potholes that could make the cars swerve. If the accident occurred at work, there may have been electric cables to trip on, boxes on top of cupboards, or drawers left open.  

Write down your own account of events and draw a before, during, and after the diagram. Also collect proof of loss of earnings, and every medical bill and report. 

Avoid Unwise Communication

Don’t speak to the other party’s insurance company or give them a statement. They may have their own attorneys and be skilled at avoiding payouts. Beware of discussing your accident on social media. If your account varies from your official statement your claim could be compromised. If you have been signed off work due to your injury, don’t post holiday snaps or pictures of you at the gym. 

Personal injury lawyers oversee the entire legal process to reduce the stress of the accident victim. In time justice may be done, and a settlement claim be honored. Hopefully, you will make a full recovery from your injuries and return to a normal life.