What To Do After A Serious Auto Accident
Michael Babboni
Car Accidents
Every year in the United States, over 5 or 6 million auto accidents get reported to the police. Since police don’t respond to fender-benders and other minor collisions, the real number of traffic accidents is probably millions more. Out of those accidents, 1.5 to 2 million result in an injury, and around 30,000 crashes end someone’s life.Florida contributes more than our fair share of accidents. 3,174 people died in traffic fatalities in 2016, one-fifth of the national total. There are a few reasons for this: old roads crossing a very narrow state, a large local population, and millions of tourists who drive down or rent cars while they’re here.
Florida roads include some of the deadliest in the nation in terms of deaths by mile, and even if you don’t get into a fatal accident in Florida the odds are relatively high that you’ll end up in a serious auto accident at least once even if you don’t have a driver’s license. Because of this, it helps to be prepared for the worst and to know what you need to do if you end up involved in a serious accident. With that in mind, you should try to remember the following points regarding what you should do after a serious accident.
Check On Everyone
If you’re able to get up and walk around after the accident, you should check to see whether everyone else can, too. You shouldn’t try to perform any CPR or first aid unless you’re certified, but you should at least find out whether anyone is seriously injured or worse. If they are, or if someone isn’t responding at all, you shouldn’t move them an inch unless they’re in immediate danger like the vehicle’s on fire or about to tumble down a cliff.
Call For Help
Call 911 and let the operator know what’s happened and whether anyone is seriously injured. This is the main reason you need to check on people before you make the call: if someone looks like they need an ambulance you can make sure there will be one on the way. However, you should avoid admitting fault if you can help it, because 911 calls are always recorded and available for court evidence.
Document Everything With Notes And Photos
Any evidence you can collect at the scene of an accident can become incredibly helpful when you need to talk to the police and the insurance companies later. Evidence includes the location and state of vehicles, any injuries sustained and the physician’s diagnosis, and both the driver’s license number and the auto insurance policy of every driver involved. Those last two items are very important to get, because if you get the wrong numbers or no numbers for whatever reason it makes getting a settlement from the insurance company a much bigger headache.
Contact A Lawyer
You don’t need an auto lawyer for every car accident, but the more serious the crash is the more it helps to have the professional legal advice you get from a personal injury attorney. That’s where we come in: with Babboni, the St. Pete Lawyer, you get decades of collective experience with auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, and pedestrian injuries. Our legal team helps represent the victims of traffic accidents every year, and we always do our best to get them the compensation they deserve for any personal injuries and property damage they suffer.
With a strong set of evidence and a good auto accident lawyer like Babboni, you’ll have the best chance possible of getting a fair compensation. Just remember not to panic and keep a clear head after a collision and don’t forget to contact a good lawyer if the damage is serious.