Laredo What to Do After an Auto Accident
Unfortunately, automobile accidents are all too common. The results can range anywhere from minor “fender benders,” with little to no real property damage or personal losses, all the way to multiple car pile-ups with major property damage and fatalities. Car crashes have potentially life-changing consequences, and you may find yourself needing legal assistance. If you or a loved one has been in an accident within the Laredo region of Texas and you are unsure about the protocol in Laredo what to do after an auto accident, a Carabin Shaw Laredo auto crash lawyer can help you.
After a car crash, you may find yourself asking questions related to the accident and what comes next. You might wonder about logistical steps moving forward, such as:
- How does one deal with insurance and my insurance company (or lack thereof)?
- How does one file a claim?
- Do I need a lawyer if I am in a car accident?
The Carabin Shaw attorneys in Laredo can answer these questions for you and more. We have over 25 years of experience fighting for the rights and claims of accident victims, and we will fight at all costs to see you obtain the compensation you deserve.
If you are involved in an on-road collision and find yourself wondering what to do after an auto accident in Laredo, it is recommended you begin by following these simple steps in the crucial moments after the crash:
- Engage your emergency flashers so other drivers will avoid you.
- Check to see if anyone in your car is injured, and if so, call for proper medical assistance.
- Move the car off the road to a safe location that does not impede the flow of traffic or cause further pile-ups, but also as close to the scene as possible (i.e. shoulder, median, parking lot).
- Exit your vehicle if it is safe and you are physically able to do so
- Check to see if anyone in the other vehicle is injured, and if so, call for medical help.
- Call the police.
- Take pictures of the scene with a camera, your smartphone, or any other camera-equipped device.
- If, and only if, you are able to safely move your vehicle, move it to the shoulder of the road to prevent further traffic collisions, pile-ups, and jams from cars behind the accident.
After the accident, knowing and understanding the procedures that facilitate an efficient filing of claim can be the difference between successful reparations and defeat. You should always execute the following protocol to ensure you give yourself and your case the best chance to be settled quickly and completely with one of our lawyers. Before filing the claim and while still at the scene of the crash, make sure you:
- Exchange names, address, telephone number, and insurance information with other drivers.
- Obtain the names, address, telephone numbers or other contact information of any surrounding witness, either pedestrian or otherwise, so you know who to call if the accident needs to be further investigated or any detail deciphered.
- Do not discuss the accident with other drivers or witnesses.
- Mentally note, and as soon as possible, write down all facts surrounding the accident, such as the time, date, and location of the accident, up to and including all weather conditions.
- If the police have indeed been summoned, remain at the scene of the accident until the responding officer says you are permitted to leave.
- Call your insurance company and report the accident to them right away.
- Finally, call your attorney if you are injured or the damage is extensive and unmanageable by just one party.
If someone injured you due to negligence or inattentiveness in driving a vehicle in Laredo, then you have rights under the law, and you deserve to know them to their fullest extent. You always want to make sure to protect these rights after a car accident, lest you end up paying- both financially and personally- for someone else’s careless driving behavior behind the wheel. You will almost always need a lawyer to help guide you through the often confusing period of time after an accident.
Thankfully, the attorneys at Carabin Shaw around the Laredo region can provide you peace of mind with the results you need in the wake of any and all Laredo auto accidents. We focus our attention on each and every case we take on. It is our mission to obtain results quickly and effectively for you, your family, or your business when you are left wondering in the area of Laredo what to do after an auto accident. Contact us today by phone, toll free, at 956.333.3333, day or night. You’ll be glad you did.