EXAMPLE: You are driving in Utah County, I-15 near Orem Center Street. You are stopped and are violently rear-ended. You are instantly hurt. What should you do?
FIRST. Safety. Ensure you are safe. Then proceed to help others in the rear-end car accident. Make sure the scene is safe. Pull to the side of the road if possible to clear traffic.
SECOND. Call the police. Utah law requires most car accidents to be reported to the police. Call 911. Cooperate with police.
THIRD. Take pictures. Exchange insurance information. Obtain witness phone numbers and names. Sometimes the police miss witnesses to the car accident. If liability is disputed by the at-fault, other person’s insurance company, these eye-witnesses will be critical. Take pictures of the property damage of all vehicles involved. License plates, debris, or skid marks in the road and where the cars are, or where located is important. Be safe while doing it.
FOURTH. Seek appropriate medical care. Get an ambulance if you need it. Got to the ER if warranted. But don’t gamble on your health. If you need the medical care, get it. After the ER visit, make an appointment to immediately see your primary care doctor. Have your family practice doctor check you over head-to-toe and tell them to document every single injury on your medical records. (this is critical). Get a referral to physical therapy, chiropractic care and radiology as appropriate. But remember, error on the side of getting better, not toughing it out. You didn’t ask for this car accident.
FIFTH. Call a Utah car accident attorney. Once the emergency of the matter slows down a bit, call an experienced Utah personal injury car accident attorney. Not all attorneys just because they advertise they do car accidents, means they actually practice car accidents, day-in, day-out. Very few Utah attorney practice car accident law every day.
SIXTH. Get better. The most important part of your car accident case is getting better. Any legal case you may have is a far, far second. Let the attorney worry about the legal case and insurance companies, allowing your get better.
HELPFUL LINKS:
Car accidents, start-to-finish, without filing a lawsuit. How long does it take?
Car accidents, start-to-finish, with filing a lawsuit. How long does it take?