What Steps Should You Take After An Accident?
The cardinal rule of motor vehicle accidents is: talk with someone immediately and learn how to protect your claim. At Sarkisian Sarkisian & Associates in Portage and Valparaiso, we are ready, willing and certainly able to help after a traumatic event or motor vehicle accident in Northwest Indiana and Chicago.
Every driver should know what they can do to protect their claim for compensation. Below are five simple steps to take after an auto accident or any personal injury situation.
- Call the police: Getting a patrol officer on the scene has several benefits such as ensuring you have an official record of the collision, facilitating the exchange of information between drivers and protecting evidence. Don’t forget to ask for the officer’s badge number and precinct, so it is easy for you to obtain a copy of the police report.
- Talk to witnesses: Police are not insurance adjusters or lawyers. They often leave important details out of their report or don’t ask witnesses probing questions about the who, what, when, where, why and how. Make sure you obtain the contact information of any potential witnesses.
- Take photographs: Take as many pictures as possible of the cars, the intersection, the injuries, the surrounding traffic and the weather.
- Get medical treatment: Don’t let anything get in the way of your medical care. Maybe you can’t get time off work, are worried about health insurance coverage or do not think your injuries are serious. Delaying, skipping or only getting intermittent treatment could damage your health and your case.
- Don’t talk to the insurance company: Your natural instinct may be to call the insurance company immediately after you are injured in a car accident.
Don’t speak to them without an attorney and never make a written or recorded statement. “Everything you say can and will be used against you,” isn’t just a warning for criminal court.
Get Our Lawyers Involved Immediately And For Free
We offer free initial consultations. When you become our client, we get to work immediately investigating the scene, protecting your rights and building your case. You do not pay attorneys fees for our efforts unless we win your case.
Call us at 219-265-6061 or send us an email to schedule your free initial consultation with an attorney. We accommodate your needs with home, hospital and after-hour visits by appointment.