LaGrange Car Accident Attorneys

What to Do After a Car Accident

Knowing what to do immediately after a car accident can protect your health and strengthen your potential claim. Follow these steps to ensure that you and any other accident victims obtain the support you need:

• Check for Injuries: First and foremost, assess your injuries and those of others involved in the accident. Call emergency assistance immediately if anyone is seriously hurt.
• Move to Safety: If possible, move vehicles out of traffic to stop further collisions. However, only do this if it is safe; otherwise, stay where you are until help arrives.
• Call the Police: Reporting the accident to law enforcement is critical, even for minor accidents. The police will document the scene, interview witnesses, and create an official accident report, which is crucial for your case.
• Gather Evidence: Take photos of the scene, including vehicle damage, road conditions, traffic signals, and any visible injuries. Exchange contact information with the other driver, along with insurance details.
• Seek Medical Attention: Some injuries, like whiplash or internal bleeding, may not show symptoms immediately. A prompt medical evaluation ensures that all injuries are documented, which can support your injury claim.
• Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company: Make sure to inform your insurance company of the accident, but avoid giving any recorded statements to the at-fault driver’s insurer without consulting a car accident attorney.
• Consult a LaGrange Car Accident Lawyer: Speaking with our experienced car accident attorney at Morrison & Hughes Law can make a significant difference in your case. We can help preserve evidence, negotiate with insurers, and build a strong case on your behalf.

How Car Accidents Happen

Car accidents don’t just happen on their own. Someone has to make a mistake at some point to cause a crash. In legal terms, such a mistake could be called a form of negligence, which might make that party liable or at fault for the outcome.

Mistakes that drivers make that lead to car accidents include the following and more:

• Driving while texting
• Driving while distracted
• Driving while intoxicated
• Making unsafe lane changes
• Speeding
• Tailgating

In some cases, the mistakes that cause a car accident don’t originate from a driver on the road. Instead, a third party’s errors can contribute to a heightened risk of a crash. For example, if a car is manufactured with faulty brakes, the automaker’s mistakes could be the sole cause of a crash later.

Common Injuries in Car Accidents

Common injuries may include:

• Whiplash and Soft Tissue Injuries: Whiplash is one of the most common injuries in car accidents, particularly rear-end collisions. This injury often occurs when the neck is rapidly forced back and forth, damaging the muscles and ligaments. Soft tissue injuries like sprains, strains, and bruises may also result from the impact.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): Even a minor car accident could lead to a traumatic brain injury if the head strikes the steering wheel, dashboard, or another object. TBIs range from mild concussions to serious brain damage, with symptoms that may include headaches, dizziness, memory issues, and even personality changes.
• Spinal Cord Injuries and Back Injuries: Spinal cord injuries are among the most severe consequences of car accidents and can result in partial or full paralysis. Even less severe back injuries, such as herniated discs or fractures, can cause chronic pain and greatly affect your ability to work and engage in daily activities.
• Broken Bones and Fractures: The force of a car accident can cause bones to fracture or break, particularly in the arms, legs, ribs, and collarbones. Broken bones can be painful, require extensive healing, and may necessitate surgery or physical therapy. Multiple fractures can lead to a prolonged recovery period and impact your ability to return to work quickly.
• Internal Injuries: Blunt force trauma from a car accident could lead to internal injuries like organ damage, internal bleeding, and punctured lungs. Internal injuries are often life-threatening and demand immediate medical intervention. Unlike visible injuries, internal damage can go unnoticed without a medical evaluation, underscoring the need to seek medical attention after any accident.
• Emotional and Psychological Injuries: The trauma of a car accident could extend beyond physical injuries. Many accident victims experience emotional and psychological symptoms like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Emotional injuries may require counseling or therapy, and they are just as important to address as physical injuries when seeking compensation.

Evidence of Liability in Car Accident Claims

You might be confident that you didn’t cause your car accident, but the other driver could still say the same. For something as important as your injury claim, though, you won’t want to leave it to your word against someone else’s. Instead, you’ll want to back your claim with convincing evidence of liability, which our LaGrange car accident attorneys can gather, review, and utilize on your behalf.

Evidence that might help prepare your car accident claim includes:

• Dashcam or security footage
• Eyewitness statements
• First responder reports
• Medical reports