What To Do After A Kentucky Accident | Paducah, KY

What To Do After A Kentucky Car Accident

What to do after a car accident

Things to Remember After A Kentucky Car Accident

What to do after a car accident

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or the NHTSA, car and traffic accidents happen every 60 seconds. This means more than 5 million accidents occur in the country every year. In Kentucky, state police report that about 1 in 154 Kentucky residents was injured in a traffic collision. Moreover, speeding and distracted driving such as texting while driving was blamed as the top contributing factor for all collisions in 2020. It was the cause in 1 of every 3 collisions. Other causes include speeding and driving under the influence (DUI).

Car accidents are far more common than we realize. Although avoidable, it may happen at any time. Thankfully, most of these car accidents only involve property or vehicle damages. However, one out of three accidents have caused personal injury and in these instances, two out of ten accidents have led to fatalities. 

Safety is first and foremost the priority. When you get into a car accident, there are certain things that you need to do in order to ensure that everyone and your property are safe. 

Car accidents come from nowhere. No one wakes up with the knowledge of an accident for that day. Being involved in a vehicular accident can shake you up and render you confused, overwhelmed, and at a loss. As such, it is important to keep in mind the following to be on top of an otherwise, shocking event. Furthermore, consulting a reliable personal injury law firm in Paducah can help ease the burden when claiming compensation in case of injury or wrongful death.

 

1. Check for injuries and seek medical help

If you are involved in a vehicular accident, check yourself for injuries before checking your companions and seek medical attention if needed. You can call for an ambulance yourself or ask someone else to do it.

Should you feel fine and without serious injuries, you can also check other people involved in the accident like the people in the other vehicles or pedestrians. Especially in remote areas with no witnesses, people involved in the accident have to rely on themselves to seek medical help.

 

2. Secure the accident site.

If the accident happened at night, you need to alert motorists and prevent further accidents by keeping your flashers or hazard lights on or by setting up emergency triangles. If the car lights don’t work anymore, try looking for alternative sources of light such as flashlights while waiting for help to arrive.

 

3. Call the police.

No matter how small the accident is, it is important to get the police involved. When the police arrive at the scene, try your best to give the most accurate statements. Tell the officers if you are unsure or if you don’t know. Listen to the statements made by the other party and check for possible inaccurate declarations. 

Should there be no other vehicle or person involved and your vehicle is still safe to drive or the accident was so minor that you and the other driver have come to an agreement that you both can leave and get to your appointments, you can go to the nearest police station to report the accident yourself.

Under Kentucky state laws, drivers must report all vehicular accidents that cause injury to at least one person or at least $500 in property damage. This accident report is required by law and also to get compensation for your losses from insurance companies. Even without human injury or property damage, reporting the accident to the police is still very much recommended.

 

4. Get details of the people involved.

You can exchange personal and insurance information with the other driver. The most important information you need to take from the other driver are:

  • His/her full name and contact details
  • Headcount, names, and contact number of the passengers of the other car
  • The insurance company, policy number, and insurance coverage
  • Driver’s license and vehicle plate number
  • Type, color, and make of the vehicle
  • The accident’s location

It is also worth asking for and writing down names and contact details of witnesses and asking their observations on the accident.

One thing to do to prepare for possible incidents like this is to keep an accident checklist in your car that you can just use and fill out should the need arise. Car crashes, no matter how minor, can shake your thoughts into disarray and you might miss out on important things to do or take note of, like checking if the other driver is underinsured or uninsured. Dealing with uninsured motorists can aggravate your stress. 

 

5. Take photos.

Document the accident thoroughly by taking lots of photos: close-up shots of the impact area, the vehicle damage to both cars, license plates and wide shots of the state of the automobiles after the accident, the car wreck, and the overall scene of the accident including road markers and signages. 

 

6. Know Your Legal Rights

Aside from filing for compensation, such as  car accident claims and personal injury claims, from your insurance company as stipulated in your insurance policy, it is also very important to consult an accident attorney to protect your rights, get remuneration for the severity of your bodily injury and ensure that your best interests are covered. Farmer and Wright Attorneys in Paducah, Kentucky can provide you with vital legal advice for personal injury protection. They can help you when providing statements and getting full compensation for accident claims and damages to your vehicle and personal injuries for yourself and your passengers. 

 

What Not To Do

Even for minor accidents such as a fender bender, do not drive away or be negligent and commit a hit and run. You can avoid several legal complications including a car accident lawsuit in the future. Prevent legal liability by doing your duty of stopping and dealing with the accident. 

Kentucky car accident lawyers would also recommend you not to discuss who’s the person at fault. Wait for the verdict that will be made by the authorities. Do not say anything that could implicate you in an automobile accident lawsuit.

Never settle without a lawyer present. Settling and negotiating with the other driver could be a good decision. However, you might be on the losing end of the bargain if you are not familiar with the intricacies of the laws and the processes with which to file injury claims, accident claims, and insurance claims.

 

Pursuing Lawsuits on Personal Injury

According to personal injury law, when medical expenses caused by an accident reach $1,000 or if the accident has resulted in accident injuries such as permanent disfigurement, broken bones, brain injuries, other permanent and serious injury or fatality, a personal injury lawsuit may be filed to seek the compensation you are entitled to from the outfall  driver. Compensation not only covers your medical bills but also lost wages and vehicle damages. You may also be compensated for your pain, suffering, and emotional distress.

Get personal injury attorneys in Paducah to process your injury claims so you can avail of the maximum benefits.

 

Getting the Most Out Of Your Insurance

Most insurance companies offer unreasonably low settlements. As such, it is important to involve the law enforcement officers and file a report following an accident. Doing so enables your personal injury lawyer to fight strongly on your behalf and get you a fair settlement amount for your car accident case.

 

Consult With a Paducah, Kentucky Auto Accident Lawyer

Were you or a loved one involved and injured in a car accident?  It really can get confusing and overwhelming. Leave all your worries to law firm Farmer and Wright Attorneys and let them do the work, make the claim, and negotiate for you. Not all auto accident cases go to trial. Reputable car accident attorneys can negotiate a fair car accident settlement for you. Schedule your free consultation today.

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