If you have been seriously injured in a car accident, truck accident, or motorcycle accident in Omaha, Nebraska, you may be wondering what steps you can take to protect your rights. Rensch & Rensch Law are personal injury lawyers in Omaha, Nebraska who work with car accident, truck accident, and motorcycle accident victims who have been seriously hurt in these types of accidents. You and your family might be entitled to seek damages for your medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering after a crash. However, you may only have a limited amount of time to seek a claim from insurance companies and negligent parties. The things you do in the immediate aftermath of an accident can make an immense difference in the outcome of your case. In the confusion of a crash, it can be difficult to know what to do next. Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself:
- Make Sure Everyone is Safe. You have a legal obligation to tend to the injured and to call for help if anyone is hurt in an accident. Don’t move victims if they have been hurt (unless failing to do so could result in more serious injury). Call for help and seek medical attention for your injuries and for the injuries of others involved in your accident. If you can move your vehicle out of the way of traffic, do so to prevent further injuries and further damage to your vehicle.
- Call the Police. You are legally obligated to report a crash to police if property damage exceeds $1000 or if a person was killed or injured in an accident. Even if you think property damage is less than $1000, you may still want to report your crash to police. Insurance companies might want to see police reports before paying any claims and if damage turns out to be more than $1000, it can be more difficult to make an accurate report of what happened if you realize you are legally obligated to report the accident later.
- Exchange Information with Other Driver or Drivers. Get the contact information of other people involved in your accident. Record their names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance information, as well as the make, model, year, and license plate number of their vehicles.
- Speak to Witnesses. If other people saw what took place, get their names and contact information. These individuals could help you later if you need to make a claim or pursue a lawsuit.
- Take Photos. If you have a camera, take photos of the damage to your vehicle and take pictures of the scene of the accident. While it is always a good idea to write down details of what happened, a picture can often paint an even more vivid story. Photos can also be useful when making an insurance claim or when seeking compensation from negligent parties later.
- Write Down Details of What Happened. If you can, while you are at the scene of the accident, it is a good idea to write down in detail what happened. What time did the crash take place? Where did it take place? What direction were you traveling and how fast were you going? Details are easy to forget as hours and days pass. Write down details as soon as you can.
- File a Claim with Your Insurance Company. You may be required to tell your insurance company that an accident took place right after a crash. In some cases, damage to your vehicle might be minor and you may choose not to make a claim, but if you are not sure about whether you should make a claim, you might want to speak to a personal injury lawyer in Omaha, Nebraska. Remember, sometimes damage can look minor, and sometimes an accident might appear minor, but later victims discover injuries and damage. As a general rule, you should always report your accident to your insurance company.
- Speak to a Personal Injury Lawyer in Omaha, Nebraska. com can connect you with an Omaha, Nebraska car accident lawyer like Rensch & Rensch Law today. Rensch & Rensch handle a range of personal injury claims, including car accident claims, motorcycle accident claims, and truck accident claims. Contact our firm today to learn more.
These are some of the steps you can take after a crash to protect your rights and to seek help for your injuries. While there are things you can do at the scene of a crash to protect your rights, what you do in the days and weeks after a crash also matters. Contacting a personal injury lawyer can sometimes help. Rensch & Rensch Law are personal injury attorneys in Omaha, Nebraska who can help you with your insurance claim and with seeking compensation from negligent parties, if another person was responsible for your crash. After an accident, get safe, call the police, seek medical attention, and then call Rensch & Rensch Law.