How to Protect Yourself After a Car Accident
In 2015, there have been approximately, 293,000 accidents in Florida as of this writing. These accidents resulted in 191,000 injuries and 1,974 fatalities. The Florida DMV notes that most accidents are caused by driver carelessness. Dealing with the aftermath of an accident can be different in every circumstance. Depending on the severity of the accident, the accident can be a small annoyance or a life-changing event. If you were injured in a car accident in Florida, you will want to take a few steps to ensure you have all the information you need for a possible personal injury lawsuit and to ensure you are fully protected.
- File an Accident Report: if your accident resulted in injuries or property damage over $500, then Florida law requires you to report your accident. You can report the accident to local police by calling the local non-emergency number. If the accident resulted in serious injuries then you should dial 911 to report the accident.
- Collect Accident Information: ask the other driver for their name, phone number and address. Make sure that you write down their vehicle make and model, license plate number. You should also provide the other driver with the same information. Most importantly, make sure that you have their insurance information. If there are any bystanders, also ask for their names and phone numbers. This information could be useful to in a future personal injury lawsuit.
- Contact Your Insurance Company: after the accident, you should contact your insurance company and file a claim. You need to contact your insurance company even if you were not responsible for the accident. You insurance company will investigate the accident to determine fault. Your insurance company will also be able to answer questions about your insurance coverage and benefits.
- See Your Doctor: many injuries manifest after an accident. Consequently, you will want to ensure that you see your family doctor after your accident. For serious injuries, you should go to an emergency room as soon as possible. While medical bills can be a concern, Florida law requires you to carry personal injury protection, or PIP, insurance. Your PIP will cover medical costs related to your injuries regardless of fault.
- Passengers Should See a Doctor: if you were a passenger in a car accident, then you should also seek medical treatment. In moss cases, passengers may receive PIP benefits and medical costs can be paid for through PIP.
It may be possible that it seems there were no injuries or damage to your car. Even if this is the case, you’ll still want to make sure you have gotten the other driver’s information and at least reported the incident to the police. You may find a few days later that there is a problem with your car and you may feel the impact of the injury. If this happens, you’ll want to have a record of the accident.
Contact An Attorney
If you have been in a car accident and you are not certain about next steps, then you should contact the Miami personal injury attorneys at the office of Alan Goldfarb, P.A. We can discuss your accident with you and advise you on the next steps for ensuring you fully recover from your accident. Please contact us today for a free consultation.
