With so many road accidents happening in the UK every day, it’s an unfortunate inevitability that many people suffer injuries in these types of incidents. While in the immediate aftermath you may feel aggrieved, upset or maybe in shock, it’s important to remain calm and have a plan of action to help you recover from your losses.
Of course, the main priority is to get better, but what should you then do if you were the victim of injury after being in a car accident?
Call the police
It’s really important that the police are informed if there has been a road accident, and it is a legal requirement to let them know if there were any casualties involved. If it’s a serious accident the police will more than likely attend the scene to take statements from yourself, the other driver and any other witnesses that have stopped. If not so serious yet you decide to report the accident afterwards because your injuries have developed later on, you’ll need to be able to explain to them exactly what happened so they can follow it up.
Figure out who’s to blame
Most drivers are fairly savvy and it’s likely that even if they know that they are at fault for an accident, they probably won’t admit to it on the spot. Therefore it’s often left down to your insurance company, or perhaps a legal expert to fight it out with the third party to figure out who is to blame. This is where your evidence and statements can really help determine the outcome of any case brought against the other driver.
Gather as much evidence as possible
Although it may be difficult at the time, try to take photos of the accident scene, the damage to your car, even witness statements and personal details from anyone else who saw the accident and who may be able to help your case in the upcoming weeks. Provide this evidence to the police, your insurer and any legal team you have working for you.
Tell a personal injury solicitor
If it’s deemed that you weren’t to blame for the accident and you have suffered injuries then it’s likely that you’ll be able to make a personal injury claim against the other driver. The vast majority of claims will be handled on a No Win No Fee basis, meaning that you won’t have to pay large sums of money to get legal assistance. You will rarely need to go to court and most road accident cases can be completed within a matter of weeks.
Seek medical attention
Personal injury claims don’t just get paid out without any evidence, so make sure that you visit a doctor to have your accident injuries assessed. The results of these tests may have an influence on how much compensation you are likely to receive.