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Car accidents may be commonplace in the state, but the consequences are rarely routine. Victims often suffer catastrophic injuries, develop long-term health complications, and are straddled with sky-high medical bills and other unanticipated expenses. With this much on your plate, it’s easy to feel confused about your next steps.
In this article, we take a look at a few actions you should take after a collision:
1. Seek Medical Treatment
Even at slower speeds, truck accidents can lead to serious impact injuries. As such, even if you feel fine, you should still visit the doctor as soon as possible. You may have suffered an injury that is yet to present with any symptoms and, left unchecked, such conditions can often lead to life-threatening health complications.
However, undergoing a comprehensive medical evaluation is about more than just taking care of your health. Delaying this crucial step could lead to the insurer disputing the severity of your injuries. For instance, if it took you weeks to schedule an appointment after the wreck, the claims adjuster might assert that your injuries can’t be as serious as you’re claiming as you didn’t need urgent care. Alternatively, the insurance company may assert that you suffered your injuries in a different incident as the date of your medical evaluation doesn’t line up with the date of the wreck.
2. Document the Accident Scene
In order to recover compensation after a wreck, you will need to gather strong evidence to support your claim. However, much of the proof you might need to win your case could be time-sensitive, so the longer you wait to start investigating the accident, the greater the chances that some of this evidence will be unavailable.Â
As such, if you are physically able to do so, you should take steps to document the scene immediately after the accident. Using your smartphone, take photographs of the vehicles involved, road markings, street signs, weather conditions, and your injuries. Your truck accident lawyer and/or an accident reconstructionist might be able to use such proof to determine what happened and who was responsible for causing the collision. Additionally, you should write down the names and contact details of any eyewitnesses to share with your attorney. If you or someone else recorded dashcam footage of the crash, you should save these video files in a safe place such as a backup hard drive or cloud server.
3. Stay Away from Social Media
In the aftermath of a wreck, it may be tempting to log onto social media and vent about the at-fault driver’s dangerous actions. However, posting about the accident online is a serious mistake that could cost you a fair settlement. As there’s always a chance the insurer is monitoring your profiles for evidence that could be used to dispute your case, anything you post could become ammunition to reduce or deny your claim. As such, it’s often best to deactivate your profiles for the duration of proceedings so that your online activity doesn’t affect the outcome of your case.
4. Take Your Recovery Seriously
Once you’ve received a diagnosis, you will need to make sure you stick to your treatment plan closely. Any signs that you went against your doctor’s orders could be used to dispute liability and damages. For instance, if your doctor told you to take time off work to let your injuries heal but you still clocked in the next day, the insurer could argue that your negligent actions exacerbated your condition and led to additional health complications. In such situations, you may be held liable for some of or all your losses.
Speak to a Car Accident Attorney in Atlanta Today
If you were involved in a car accident in Georgia, turn to the legal team at Moebes Law to discuss your options for seeking compensation. We offer free consultations, so you won’t have to pay a cent to get the answers you need to make informed decisions about your claim. To lock in a case review with an Atlanta car accident attorney, dial (404) 354-5432 or click through to our contact page.
