First Things To Do After a Car Accident in DC

If you have been involved in a car accident here are the first things you should do according to a DC car accident lawyer. For assistance in filing a claim, call today and schedule a free consultation.

What Is The First Thing That Someone Should Do After a Car Accident?

They need to assess their physical condition and see if they’ve been injured, and then call 911 if they’re able to in order to call the police and an ambulance if need be.  That’s first and foremost.  Next, they should have the police get their names, talk to the parties involved, and document the placement of the vehicles. They should not move their vehicle prior to the police getting there.

Now, What Is The Second Thing That Someone Should Do After a Car Accident?

Well, depending upon their condition and when the police and the ambulance get there, they should seek medical treatment by being taken to a hospital if required. They should cooperate with the police to the extent that they can on the scene. And then, following all of that, depending upon their condition and whether they’ve had to go to the hospital or not, obviously first and foremost is concentrate on their medical condition and the treatment required.

Once that is settled, they should contact their insurance company to report the accident and they should again follow up with any medical care based upon what they’ve been told at the hospital. If they haven’t sought care, then they need to seek care with their doctor to document any problems they may be having.

During all of these they should consult with an attorney as well so that they’re not talking to the at-fault party’s insurance company and giving a statement, because the insurance company is not entitled to that  They should get advice from an attorney about how to handle things moving forward. Once they have retained an attorney, then the at-fault insurance company cannot talk to them, they can only talk through counsel and that is the advisable way to go.

Why Is It Important To Contact An Attorney Early On In The Case?

The sooner the attorney is involved the sooner the attorney can investigate, contact the insurance company, cut off any contact of the at fault insurance company with the injured party, and can let the insurance company know the nature of the case the seriousness. Insurance companies set what you call reserves on the case in terms of what they think the evaluation of the case will be. This is based upon the nature of the injuries and the treatment.

So, to maximize the recovery in a case, an experienced trial attorney will be able to value cases based on experience and tell what the likely outcome will be.