What To Do After a Car Accident

Traffic accidents happen all the time throughout Arizona. Chances are that you will be involved in a car accident at some point in your lifetime. It may be nothing more than a minor “fender bender” or it could be a serious accident.Many of these are caused by negligence or another driver not paying appropriate attention. Regardless of how the accident happened, as a victim you will likely have questions about your future and what is necessary to file the paperwork and claim to recover maximum compensation. There are ways to prepare yourself in case you do have an accident whether as a driver or a passenger.

Common Causes of Traffic Accident Collisions

Traffic can generate additional frustration and obstacles for drivers, but that is no excuse for getting involved in an accident when negligence plays a role. If a driver is not paying attention or is behaving recklessly behind the wheel, this information may prove fruitful in your personal injury claim and attempt to recover maximum compensation. This is why you should retain an attorney who has extensive experience in this field and who is willing to work on your behalf. Some of the most common situations that lead to traffic accidents in Arizona may include:

• Drunk driving
• Distracted driving
• Drowsy driving
• Aggressive or reckless driving

Any of these situations may prompt a victim or the surviving family members of someone who was killed in an accident to file a legal claim for compensation. If this applies to your case, taking action sooner rather than later may protect your eligibility to recover all the necessary funds to put the pieces of your life back together and to put this unfortunate incident behind you.

Post Auto Accident Checklist: What to Do after a Car Accident

When you are involved in or witness an auto accident, follow these procedures:

1. Check for injuries. After a car accident, it’s always hard to think clearly and to remain calm, but it is important to take a few deep breaths and make sure you and anyone involved is not seriously injured. If you or anyone is severely injured, do not move. 
2. Make sure it is safe to leave the area where the accident has happened. It may too dangerous to exit your car. If you are able to safely exit the vehicle, do so immediately. If anyone needs immediate medical attention call 911 for an ambulance.
3. Report the accident to the police. Filing a report with the police helps to protect all parties involved, helps prevent fraudulent claims and legal ramifications. Reporting an accident to the police is generally part of any insurance company’s accident protocol. Stay at the scene of the accident until the police have come and gone. Make sure to get the name of the officer and provide them with your account of the event. 
4. Get the information of all involved, including their names, addresses and insurance carrier. The other party may have even tried to flee the scene or have been difficult to speak to in the immediate moments following the accident. It is important to keep your wits about you in the immediate aftermath of an Arizona traffic accident. This is because you need to gather pertinent information that may become vital down the road if you file a personal injury claim.
5. While you are waiting for the police to arrive, sit down and stay calm. While you may not feel much pain, you could be injured. Walking, bending or lifting can make your injuries worse.
6. While you are sitting, go over what happened. Get the facts clear. How fast were you going? Where were you? Did you have your turn indicator on? Make some written notes if you can. Do not talk to anyone except the police about the facts of the accident.
7. Gather Evidence. One such example has to do with contacting witnesses and taking pictures and videos of the scene. It may be difficult for you to remember the details of your Arizona traffic accident after the fact, but your attorney can begin to piece together how the accident occurred or engage witnesses experienced in accident reconstruction to ensure that the right information is provided to the courts as you go through your injury claim. A traffic accident largely depends on who may have been responsible for the crash. Having an attorney ready to take action as soon as possible and identifying critical issues and facts surrounding the scene of the accident may help refresh your memory or give you more clues about the manner in which you sustained injuries.
8. If there are witnesses, ask them for their names and phone numbers. It is incredibly important to report any accidents that you witness. As a bystander, your perspective could be invaluable to those investigating simply because you would be unbiased and, for the most part, emotionally uncompromised. They may be able to help establish liability (who is at fault).
9. Report the accident to your insurance company. 
10. Monitor Your Injuries and Progress.Traffic accidents can lead to a number of different injuries which may be surprising for a victim who was hurt while moving at relatively slow speed. Whether you were cut off by another driver or T-boned by someone at an intersection, the injuries can be life changing. You may begin to experience chronic and difficult pain, making it challenging to get through your daily life or to return to work. Taking note of these injuries and symptoms and visiting your doctor on a regular basis will give you the maximum amount of treatment options available to you, so that you can prepare plan to accomplish as much as possible. It may initially seem overwhelming to confront the severity of your injuries and to figure out how to adapt your life to your new medical conditions, but a traffic accident attorney in Arizona, may be your best advocate going forward to protect your rights and to file a comprehensive claim to get the compensation you need to get better. Don’t allow too much time to lapse after you have been involved in a catastrophic accident. You have a limited period of time in which you can file a legal claim and finding an attorney immediately will help you determine your next steps.
11. You may have rights that you don’t know about. An auto accident attorney might be able to help and answer your important questions.

Contact a Traffic Accident Lawyer for a Help

Brad Johnson Injury Law can help you with your legal claim and insurance. Our personal injury lawyers can help you understand the process of an accident claim by explaining all the details in a clear manner. We ensure our clients receive proper medical care to ensure a healthy recovery, allowing them to get back to their lives. Then we begin the fight for maximum compensation.