October 6, 2023 | Car Accidents, Video
In this video, personal injury attorney Craig Ortwerth provides insight into the steps you should take after a car accident.
From the video:
Hi, I’m Craig Ortwerth from Ortwerth Law.
I’d like to talk to you a little today about what to do after a car accident.
The first thing, when the vehicles come to rest, is to make sure you’re okay.
Make sure everybody else in your car is okay.
If you can get out of the car safely do so but if you can’t because you are on a Highway or other busy road, pull the car over, get off the next exit, or turn around a corner, and make sure that you’re safe to get out of the car.
Next, check on everybody else in the car and check on the other drivers. After you are safe and have checked on everybody else, call the police.
A lot of times, people will say you don’t need to call the police after every accident. I disagree a for a couple of reasons.
Number one: it helps memorialize everybody’s contact information. You want to make sure your information, the other driver’s information and any witnesses have their information collected while it is fresh in their minds.
It also helps the police kind of get a story when they speak to everybody, and it really get helps us get to the bottom of how the accident happened.
After that, as you leave the scene, it is important to once again make sure you’re okay. If you need to go to the emergency room or an Urgent Care do so. If you want to wait a couple days, maybe make an appointment to see your primary care physician, and they can refer you to whatever treatment that you and the doctor may see fit.
Related: What is the average car accident settlement compensation in Missouri
Physical Therapy, chiropractor, whatever.
Then the other part of the claim is about your vehicle. This is one of the main reasons I always suggest speaking with a car accident lawyer after an accident.
Whether it’s myself or another attorney, I recommend you get one because when you’re dealing with the two portions of the claim.
Your property damage claim is one and the injuries is the other.
For the property damage, the attorney can help answer your questions make sure your vehicle is repaired correctly and that you receive a rental vehicle and other things like that.
The second and frankly the more important part is your injury claim.
Your injury attorney can answer your questions and make sure that you understand the process and that you feel comfortable throughout a long process.
Sometimes, injury claims can be you know six months to over two years. A lot of that will depend on the type of injury you had and the type of treatment, whether you need surgery or therapies.
An attorney is important because you’re going to have questions, and you want to feel comfortable.
You will want to know what is going on and that’s what an attorney can do for you.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us for a free consultation.
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