When a crash happens, it’s inevitable that you will be injured in some way or another. You could have broken bones, whiplash, and even brain injuries from an accident with serious consequences. In order to get compensation for your injuries following a car crash in Perth, you need to take these 8 steps.
Taking Pictures of Your Car
It’s important to take pictures of the damage done to both cars because this will affect your claim. If you cannot determine who was at fault, it’ll also come in handy for insurance purposes. Take pictures of how many witnesses there are and what they say happened. One thing that people often overlook is taking pictures of the weather, such as rain. If you were in a car accident with wet roads and skid marks, then your claim will be more likely to succeed.
Also, photos and physical evidence will help your legal representative. Personal injury lawyers in Perth cannot emphasize enough how important it is to collect data after an accident. The more evidence you can provide, the better chance you have at winning your case.
Give the Police a Call After an Accident
It’s important for your car accident claim to get in touch with law enforcement, even if there were no injuries, and it seems like a minor accident. Submit a police report so that you have an official document of what occurred, and some insurance companies will take this into account.
Also, when you call the police, make sure to collect the police report number. This will help if you need to refer back to the event later on.
Inform Your Insurance Company as Soon as Possible
Inform your insurance company of what happened, regardless of whether or not it seems like a major accident. Your insurance may go up after you file a claim, but it’s worth it. In addition, contact your insurer as soon as you can after you have been in a car crash. If you wait too long to file your claim, then your insurance company may not be able to help you at all.
You should also call your insurer’s claims line and give them the information about what happened. They typically require this information for motor vehicle accidents, but if they ask for more specific information such as the police report number, it will be well worth your time.
Get Medical Attention
This may seem self-explanatory, but you should get medical treatment immediately after a car accident, even if it doesn’t seem like there’s anything wrong. Insurance companies will check to see that you visited a doctor, and this is important because it helps show that you were not faking your injuries.
It’s possible to go to the emergency room even if there are no broken bones or open wounds. You can also get checked out for whiplash whether or not your neck hurts, because whiplash frequently has no symptoms until days after the injury occurred.
You Might Need a Personal Injury Lawyer
A personal injury lawyer can help when there are serious injuries involved with your accident. For example, if you were in an accident that was someone else’s fault, then it is likely they will be labeled liable. However, if you were partially at fault for your car accident, then liability will be less clear and there is a chance you could lose your case.
If this happens, it can be helpful to have someone on your side who has experience with cases like yours to support you and protect your best interests. Lawyers will need evidence of what happened and will know how to gather the proper information to help your car accident claim.
Delay in hiring an attorney is one of the worst things you can do if you want to win your case. Insurance companies often have periods where they will only accept certain types of evidence. For example, photos of the accident scene might not be accepted after a certain amount of time has passed. An attorney can plan for this and make sure that you have all the right information before it is too late.
Take Your Car to a Mechanic
Even if your car is still drivable after a crash, you should get it checked at a mechanic shop. The damage that you can’t detect may affect your car’s safety and then if there is some other problem with the vehicle, you’ll already know about it and can file your claim before it becomes an even bigger issue.
Remember that you should still report the accident to your insurance company, but only after the mechanic has looked over everything. This will help reduce any risk of lead time for the other party and give you a better chance at winning your case.
Collect the Documentation
This is where the police report number comes in. If you can get a copy of the police report, it will give your attorney everything he or she needs to help make your case. The police report contains what happened during your accident, which helps establish liability and the other party’s role in it.
You should also keep track or a folder of anything else you have for evidence of your car accident. This could include photos you took on your phone, eyewitness statements, medical bills, repair bills, or anything else that’s relevant to the case.
Be Ready to File a Lawsuit
If your attorney tells you that you have a case, it’s time to prepare yourself for a lawsuit. If your car accident was bad enough, this type of compensation could help pay for expensive medical bills and lost wages from missing work due to your injuries. You should ask your legal representative about the best time frame for filing a lawsuit and make sure you get everything ready on time, so you don’t risk losing any of your rights.
Remember that having the police report number is key to collecting all of the necessary evidence needed for your car accident case. Contacting a lawyer, bringing in further documentation, getting checked out by a doctor even if you are feeling fine, and being ready to answer any questions about what happened are just some of the ways you can help your case.
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