What Should I Do After A Motor Vehicle Accident?

If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, there are certain steps you should take to protect your legal rights. By staying calm, not admitting guilt at the accident scene, and cooperating with the appropriate authorities, you give yourself a much better chance of obtaining financial compensation for any damages you may have suffered.

  • Move your vehicle out of traffic if it is safe to do so. Warn others motorists by turning on your vehicle’s hazard lights.
  • Check on the condition of other drivers and passengers involved. If anyone requires immediate medical attention, call an ambulance.
  • Exchange information with all involved parties. Obtain information including names, addresses, driver license, and insurance policy information.
  • While laws differ from state-to-state, in the event of an accident, it is usually a good idea to contact local law enforcement to have a police report prepared.
  • Do not make or sign an admission of guilt or responsibility for the accident until you have received professional legal advice.
  • Contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the accident and report the incident.
  • If you have a camera or a cell phone that can take pictures, photograph the scene before the vehicles are moved as well as any damage to your vehicle. This evidence may come in handy in your personal-injury lawsuit.

Common Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries

Motor vehicle accidents involving cars, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, buses, and trains can result in fatal injuries or severe injuries that require a lifetime of costly medical care. The force and impact of these collisions can cause catastrophic brain and spinal cord injuries, as well as less severe injuries such as broken bones and internal injuries.

Victims of motor vehicle accidents may suffer from a variety of serious injuries, including:

WHIPLASH

Violent shaking or movement of the head and neck during a motor vehicle accident can result in a painful injury commonly called whiplash. Whiplash is a nonmedical term used to describe neck pain caused by injury to the soft tissues of the neck resulting from sudden, forceful movement. In a car accident, the force of the collision can strain the ligaments, tendons, and muscles of the neck, resulting in pain. In some cases, whiplash symptoms can be treated with rest and over-the-counter pain medication. However, some victims require more intense physical therapy to recover from whiplash.

SPINAL CORD INJURIES

Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of spinal cord injuries. When the spinal cord is sufficiently damaged, the victim may be left with a variety of injuries and disabilities. The degree of damage done depends greatly on the location of the injury. Some spinal cord patients suffer little or no loss of movement, while others are left completely paralyzed. Victims who suffer partial paralysis (paraplegia), loss of use of all four limbs (quadriplegia), or other degrees of paralysis likely will require years of costly medical care and rehabilitative treatment.

BURN INJURIES

When a motor vehicle is involved in an accident, a resulting fire can inflict severe and deadly burn injuries on the driver, passenger, and any bystanders. A vehicle loaded with gasoline and other combustible materials can quickly ignite in the event of an accident, causing first- (minor), second- (moderate), third-degree (severe), and even more serious burn injuries. Burns are extremely painful and may require repeated surgeries and medical procedures to treat. The threat of infection of the burned tissue is a constant issue in treating burn injuries.

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)

Traumatic brain injury occurs when a sudden trauma or impact causes damage to the brain. When a driver or passenger in an accident strikes their head on the steering wheel, dash board, or other part of their vehicle, TBI can occur. About half of TBI victims require surgery in an effort to treat or remove ruptured blood vessels (hematomas) or contusions (bruised brain tissue) in the head. Symptoms of TBI can mild to severe, depending on the seriousness of the brain damage. In the worst cases, victims who suffer from TBI are left in a permanent vegetative state, unable to care for themselves and requiring intense medical care and treatment.

AMPUTATIONS

The loss of an arm or leg in a motor vehicle accident can have dramatic, life-changing physical and emotional effect on the victim. Limbs may be forcibly removed by the force of a vehicle accident or may be so badly damaged in a wreck that doctors have no choice but to amputate then. Limbs may be partially amputated or removed completely. In either case, the patient is left without the previous use of an essential body part and faces years, if not a lifetime, of difficult rehabilitation and physical therapy.

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