Following a car accident, the steps you take can help protect your finances and help you as you file a personal injury claim. You may feel confused and overwhelmed in the immediate aftermath of your accident. Follow these steps as you navigate the aftermath of a serious accident.
Seek Medical Attention
After a car accident involving major, obvious injuries, you may have little choice but to go to the hospital. In some cases, however, you may walk away from your car accident thinking you suffered no serious injuries. Unfortunately, you may suffer severe injuries without realizing it.
The Mayo Clinic notes, for example, that not all victims of traumatic brain injury will lose consciousness. What feels like adrenaline and a little disorientation after the accident may, in fact, represent a much more serious injury. Likewise, adrenaline can conceal serious injuries, including broken bones.
An experienced doctor can take a look at your injuries, provide you with an accurate diagnosis, and help you take the steps necessary to treat those injuries. Seeking medical attention can also help with your personal injury claim.
By going to the hospital or an urgent care center, you will receive a record of exactly when your injuries occurred, which can make it harder for the liable driver’s insurance company to claim you may have suffered your injuries at another time.
Keep Records
Keep track of all medical information associated with your car accident injuries. You may want to keep track of any scans, x-rays, or information from your doctor.
Furthermore, when your medical bills start to come in, make sure you keep track of them so that you can more easily establish your financial losses.
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Collect Evidence
If you can safely move around the scene of the car accident, you may want to collect evidence related to the accident. Do not move around the scene if you cannot do so safely or if moving around will worsen your injuries.
If you can navigate the accident scene, you may want to collect:
- License and insurance information from the liable driver. Snap a photo with your phone, if you can, so that you have that information in an easy-to-access place later.
- Photos of the accident scene, including any features of the scene that may have contributed to the accident.
- Contact information for any witnesses at the accident scene.
- Photos of the two vehicles, including any damage to them.
- Photos of your injuries.
In some cases, you may not have the ability to safely collect evidence related to your accident. An experienced car accident attorney like the ones at Pacific West Injury Law can help you seek out the evidence you need. Your attorney may also look deeper into any information related to your accident, such as:
- The driver’s employer
- If the driver was on the clock at the time of your accident
- The vehicle’s maintenance history
Your lawyer will look for any other factors that may have contributed to your accident.
Evaluating the Extent of Your Injuries and Damages
As part of your personal injury claim, Pacific West Injury Law will help you evaluate the extent of your injuries and the financial losses you suffered as a result of your accident.
You may need to show your medical bills and other financial losses, including lost income related to your injuries, to help establish the full extent of your losses.
Getting a Police Report
A police report can help serve as evidence of who caused your car accident. Often, the responding officer will identify the liable party in the car accident. In order to obtain a copy of the police report, you can contact the police department that issued the report or check that department’s website.
For example, the Nevada Highway Patrol allows you to request a copy of the crash report within 7-14 days after the crash.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer
In order to maximize the compensation you can receive following a serious Nevada car accident, contact the experienced lawyers at Pacific West Injury Law as soon after your accident as possible.
An experienced car accident lawyer can help you collect evidence related to the accident, support you as you file your claim, and help provide you with more information about the compensation you really deserve.
By working closely with a car accident lawyer, many Nevada car accident victims find that they can recover more compensation for the injuries they suffered.
Limit Communication with the Other Party
As you try to manage your recovery and your claim following your car accident, limit communication with the other party as much as possible.
Ideally, you should not contact the other party, if avoidable. Instead, let your attorney take care of those communications.
Wait to Talk to the Insurance Company
The insurance company that covers the liable party may try to contact you shortly after your accident. They may ask for a statement or even try to issue a settlement.
That settlement, however, may not reflect the compensation you really deserve for your injuries. Instead, talk to an attorney, and let the attorney take care of those communications.
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The Statute of Limitations in Nevada Car Accidents
In Nevada, you have two years to file a personal injury claim against the party that caused serious injuries, including the driver that caused a car accident.
If you plan to file a personal injury claim after your car accident, you should begin that process before the two-year period runs out. However, even if you believe the statute of limitations may have run out after your accident, an attorney may identify exceptions to the statute of limitations that can help you seek the compensation you deserve.
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Let Our Experienced Car Accident Lawyers Guide You
Did you suffer serious injuries in a Nevada car accident? Our experienced personal injury attorney can guide you through the process and help you understand the compensation you deserve. Contact Pacific West Injury Law today at (702) 602-4878.
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