Leading Accident Lawyer San Antonio Shares Steps To Take Right After A Collision

By Andrew Brooks


If you are involved in a road accident, the first thing you are likely to do is get scared and panic. These are two emotions that can easily rob you of the ability to make the right decisions. Well, it is necessary for you to have a clear understanding of what to do if you find yourself in a situation. There are certain steps that are obvious to most motorists and others that may escape your mind, given the heat of the moment. During the hunt for a reliable accident lawyer San Antonio could offer you a decent number of highly competent specialists.

Whether you are liable for causing an accident or not, you should pull over and do not leave the site. If you drive off, you risk being charged with a felony, especially is property got damaged or someone was injured. Pulling to the side will ensure that traffic keeps flowing and you do not cause other collisions behind you.

Before you step out of your vehicle, turn on your hazards and set emergency road cones or triangles around the site. From this point, call the police. This is usually not an apparent move for most motorists, especially if no one is seriously injured. The police will assist in diverting traffic and also accurately documenting the fall of events. The official accident report created by the officers can serve as an invaluable piece of evidence should you choose to file a claim.

Another crucial thing to do is to gather crucial information. This involves taking photos of the scene and also taking the contacts and insurance information of other involved motorists. You may also want to take the badge numbers and names of the officers who respond to the accident scene, just in case you want to contact them later when filing your claim.

It is not unusual to feel perfectly fine, even after being seriously injured. In case of whiplash, internal bleeding or traumatic head injuries for instance, you may only suffer from symptoms hours after an incident. It makes sense to immediately get assessed by a doctor even if you feel okay.

Once you are sure that your health is okay, you can now contact your attorney. He or she will start working on a claim against the motorist that is liable. It pays to understand that you also need reliable legal representation and defense if you are the liable party.

There are common terms that are used when filing a claim and you should know what they actually mean. Total loss is when the damage suffered would cost more in repairs than the actual cash value of a specific vehicle. In this case, your insurer can only offer you the cash value of your vehicle, meaning that the cost of repairs will not be paid for.

Actual cash value or market value is the amount of cash you would get if you sold off a car before a collision. On the other hand, a settlement is the money paid to a claimant to resolve a claim. This involves payment for not just property damage, but also personal injury.




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