What To Do If You Are Injured Or Lose A Loved One In A Commercial Truck, Car Or Motorcycle Wreck
As Alabama automobile wreck attorneys, we are often asked the very important question: “What should I do if I am involved in a collision?”
The action taken in the aftermath of a crash depends on the facts and circumstances involved. However, there are a few hard fast legal, and practical principles to follow to protect your legal rights, as well as your health and safety. These principles are vitally important when serious and life-threatening injuries are at play. Our accident lawyers will outline these principles for you now. Please, feel free to contact us with your questions. We look forward to hearing from you.
The wreck must be reported to the proper authorities immediately by dialing 911 or OnStar or a similar service to ensure that the first responders of the state troopers, local police, and deputies, and fire and ambulance rescue arrive timely to care for the wounded and safely clear the roadway. It is imperative to comply with these efforts.
There is nothing more important than the safety and health of the public and you. Therefore, you must take advantage of the proper medical care and follow-up treatment right away and do what you can to ensure others do the same. Your medical treatment and care should be tended to without delay. Any delay could be detrimental to your health and safety, as well as your automobile insurance claim. The insurance company will use any gap in treatment and care as a basis to deny or minimize your claim, and even worse any injury or condition will become more serious and worse without medical attention.
Again, here are the tips that will serve as a guide to you after an automobile collision, especially when injuries are involved.
- Make sure the injured, including your family and you, get the medical treatment and attention they and you need and deserve. In most instances, this is done by informing the official emergency responders on the scene of the situation. However, if you have medical or first aid training, you can lend a hand.
- Help ensure the safety of the roadway by turning on your flashers, emergency lights, and other signals and do what you can to safely alert other motorists of the collision. You cannot exit the crash site until the appropriate authorities notify you that it is safe and appropriate for you to do so. In some accidents, the law mandated you to stay at the scene or you will be subject to driver’s license sanctions and possible criminal charges.
- There are many factors that lead to a crash, therefore it is best not to make any admission of fault, even if you think you are to blame. There might be a factor that caused or contributed to the cause of the wreck that is beyond your knowledge and control that you are simply unaware of, so it can be very detrimental to make this kind of admission.
The tips we have covered so far demonstrate the need for legal representation in the activity surrounding an automobile wreck. Our experienced attorneys are standing by and are eager to answer questions for you to give you peace of mind and help you right now. Feel free to call on us.
Please be sure to read part 2 of this series.
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Aaron Gartlan is a graduate of Troy University and the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law who focuses his practice exclusively on representing those injured by the wrongdoing of others. He is member of the National Trial Lawyers Association’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers, Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. In addition to his legal practice, Aaron teaches Business Law as an adjunct instructor at Troy University’s Sorrell College of Business and serves as a field artillery sergeant in the Alabama National Guard.
