Being involved in an accident is no fun. When it happens, the last thing on your mind is: “How do I protect myself if I am injured and need to bring a claim?” While you are dealing with your injuries, the insurance company for the other side is likely hard at work trying to limit their liability.
Here are five important steps to take in the event you are involved in a motor vehicle accident, and five more if you have an accident at a business.
If you are in an automobile accident:
- Get the names and addresses of the drivers of the other vehicles involved in the accident.
- If there are any witnesses, get their names and contact information.
- Call the police.
- If you are injured, seek immediate medical attention.
- Contact a lawyer to determine if any investigation needs to be done.
If you have an accident at a business:
- Report the accident to the manager.
- Ask the manager to prepare an accident report and ask for a copy of the report.
- Get the names of any employees, or witnesses who were present when the accident occurred or who were there immediately afterward.
- If your injury is caused by an unsafe condition, ask someone to take pictures of the condition as it existed at the time you were injured. A cell phone picture will work fine. This is especially important if the cause of the accident is a temporary condition such as ice in a parking lot, or a puddle of liquid on the floor of a store.
- Contact a lawyer as soon as possible so that a complete investigation can be done before important evidence and witnesses disappear.
You are welcome to call 866-668-7179 or e-mail Jacobs Jacobse to contact a professional who can help with your personal injury issues. If you cannot come to the office, we will come to your hospital room or home. We want to help you and your family through this.