When you’ve been involved in an auto accident, it’s difficult to know what steps you should take to protect yourself and your family. In this brief guide, a Tampa car accident attorney from our team at Inkelaar Law shares the four steps you should take after a car accident to protect your financial and physical health.
When you’ve been involved in an accident, it can be difficult to remember to remain calm and document everything you see or hear. Before you exit your vehicle, as long as it is safe to do so, take a few deep breaths and try to assess how you feel, any sounds you hear, and what you see.
After that, remain calm when dealing with police and the other party but do not admit fault – especially if the accident was not your fault. Take photos at the scene and request a police report. If the other party does not want to contact the police, this may be a red flag. Police should always be contacted to ensure that the incident is completely documented.
You might not always realize that you need medical attention at the scene of the accident. However, in accordance with Florida law, you only have 14 days to seek medical treatment following an accident. Because of that, it’s important to seek medical attention if you feel you need it as soon as possible.
If you do seek medical attention, make sure to tell the physician that you were involved in an auto accident. This is important not only for medical coding reasons, but also for detection of injuries not obvious to the eye.
As mentioned earlier, documenting the scene includes requesting a police report. However, simply calling the police out to the scene isn’t the end of the interactions you may have with the police. You should request that the police create a report and then later, you may need to request a copy of that report.
Bear in mind, a car accident personal injury lawyer in Tampa will be able to request the police report on your behalf.
A car accident attorney in Tampa can help you navigate the best course of action for you and your family following a car accident. Your attorney should have compassion and understanding while still being able to aggressively pursue the compensation you deserve.
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident and are interested in filing a personal injury case, contact Inkelaar Law in Tampa today. Please give us a call for free consultation at (813) 722-0622, or submit our consultation request form.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.
