Car Accident Lawyers in Luzerne County

What Should You Do After a Car Accident?

If you ever find yourself involved in a collision, it’s good to stay prepared and know what you should do after a car accident.

Check for Injuries: Before anything else, check yourself and your passengers for injuries. If something is damaged or broken, you don’t want to risk further injury. Identify sources of pain, any loss of feeling, or bleeds. If the injury looks bad, try to stay calm. If you or someone else suffered broken bones or serious bleeding, call 911 immediately.

Call for Help: Getting emergency response professionals on the scene helps everyone get the care they need as soon as possible. If someone is seriously hurt, urgent treatment can prevent additional damage and can improve the chances of a successful recovery. While shock and confusion hold a powerful influence on accident victims, someone must call emergency services. You should also call the police to get an officer on the scene. Pennsylvania law requires a police report after a car accident if the crash resulted in an injury of any kind, including death. You must also file a report if either vehicle cannot drive away from the scene.

Create a Record: Filing a police report begins a paper trail documenting a car crash. Having a police officer on the scene creates an unbiased statement regarding the damage and the physical state of those involved in the accident. It’s better to file a report sooner than later. Although you have five days to file a report, Pennsylvania law requires drivers to help anyone injured in a crash. Failure to do so could result in a criminal hit-and-run charge, even if you were not at fault for the crash. It’s safer to file a report from the scene.

Exchange Information: After a crash, you need to collect the other driver’s insurance information so you can file a claim. This includes:

Take Pictures: After exchanging information, make an effort to take photos of the crash. These pictures will help the insurance company’s forensic investigators determine who was at fault for the accident. Take pictures of the full damage:

• A picture of each car
• A picture with both cars
• A picture of the surrounding area if possible

Go to the Doctor: Although a crash already disrupted your day, you should go straight from the scene to your healthcare provider, assuming your injuries did not warrant a hospital visit. Going to the doctor immediately after a car accident can help identify internal injuries or other ailments that may have gone unnoticed. It also tells the insurance companies that the injuries were severe enough to warrant immediate medical attention.

• Call Insurance: After leaving the doctor, you should call your insurance company. Most policies require you to report an accident with 24 hours. However, you only need to provide basic information at this time. If the insurance company requests a recorded statement, you have every right to refuse, no matter how hard they push.
• Contact an Attorney: After you’ve managed your health and fulfilled your obligation to the insurance company, you should consult an experienced auto injury attorney. If there’s any doubt about who caused the accident, an attorney can examine all of the evidence you collected and fight for your justice. Hiring an attorney can make an enormous difference when it comes to settling your injury case as they will take care of all the paperwork and negotiating while you rest and recover.

Dealing with Injuries After an Accident

Car accidents result in serious and catastrophic injuries, leaving people to deal with a long recovery period or permanent injuries.

A severe injury impacts every area of your life, leaving you in need of expensive medical care, in pain, and unable to work or lead your normal life.

Our car accident attorneys in Luzerne County work to obtain compensation for clients when the accident was caused by another driver’s negligence.

What Compensation Is Available for Car Accident Injuries?

Serious injuries can leave you unable to work, to pay your bills, or cover the costs of your medical care. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and the related costs.

The specific compensation available depends on the extent of your injuries and impact on your ability to work now and in the future.

You may be entitled to financial compensation for:

Can You Sue An Uninsured Driver For Damages?

What if the driver who hit you didn't have insurance? How are you supposed to obtain compensation for your injuries? The best way to ensure you are covered in the event of an accident with an uninsured driver is to obtain uninsured or underinsured coverage through your insurance company.

However, if you did not have these policies at the time of your accident, you still may be able to obtain compensation by filing a lawsuit directly against the individual responsible for the accident. However, it is always wise to discuss your accident with a professional car accident lawyer first to ensure that this is the best course of action for you.

Car Accident FAQ: