Car accidents are scary. Even the most routine fender bender is something that gets the attention of people around it. It’s even more startling if you’re one of the people in the accident. What should you do after the accident? Yes, one of the things that you need to do is to find a car accident attorney in Detroit, but you need to attend to more important things first.
Pull to The Side If You Can
This depends on the severity of the accident, of course. If it’s relatively minor, then both you and the other party should move out of the way of the incoming traffic. This will give you a chance to see the extent of the damage. Also, if you have a smartphone, you can dictate things like the state of the roads and what caused the accident so that you don’t possibly forget later on. This can be crucial when it comes to giving your attorney information.
Don’t Admit Fault
Even though Michigan is a no-fault state, you don’t want to possibly cause any potential problems by trying to be polite. That can easily backfire on you and wind up costing you even if you truly weren’t at fault. Keep your temper in check, too, because you don’t know the state of mind of the other person that was involved.
Exchange Insurance Information
This is an important thing, too, since you will have to deal with your vehicle insurance company. If the other person doesn’t have insurance, that can be problematic. But get all the information that you can, including their driver’s license number and license plate.
Get Medical Attention
All of the above has been presuming that you were in a relatively minor accident. If it was major, then you’re likely going to have to skip down to this part, since medical personnel like ambulance drivers, are going to be on the scene. They are going to make sure you aren’t badly hurt. Even if it was the above situation, you need to see a doctor. Symptoms of things like whiplash can show up days later. You also want to make sure that you don’t have any internal bleeding, especially if you have something like your torso hitting the steering wheel.
Seeing a doctor is more than just making sure you’re OK, though. You need to create a paper trail that you were seen by a medical professional. This is important when you are filing claims or lawsuits. These records will act as proof.
After that, you’re going to want to speak to a lawyer that specializes in car accidents. It’s best that you do that in advance so that if someone files a counter-claim, you will be ready. Show your lawyer all the documents that you have, and they will tell you anything else you might need. Then it’s time to get the compensation you deserve.
