When you are suffering from injuries after a car accident, you probably want to know whether you should get medical attention for your injuries and whether or not you will be able to get compensated for the damage someone else did. It can happen in the blink of an eye. Perhaps someone was not paying attention to the traffic lights and rear-ended you. Or, maybe they were trying to make it through an intersection a little too quickly and ran it while it was red, hitting you from the side. Even if you believe the accident was clearly not your fault, you may be dealing with someone—or their insurance agent—who is more than happy to try and point that finger at you for part or all of the blame.
What does it mean to live in a no-fault state?
If you live in a no-fault state, that means that after you have been in a car accident you will likely be filing a claim with your personal insurance to receive compensation. Thus, even if someone else was responsible for your car accident, your insurance would be covering compensation for things like property damage and personal injury bills. That said, as an attorney, like a car accident attorney, from a law firm like David & Philpot, P.L., understands that in certain situations you may be able to bring a claim against the person who is responsible for the accident.
Am I obligated to report a car accident?
This will depend on certain aspects of your accident. There are certain circumstances that will require you to report the accident to the local authorities.
- There was damage done to property that totals to $500 or more
- Someone was injured in the accident
- Someone died in the accident
What should I do at the scene of an accident?
Depending on the types of injuries you have after an accident, there are a few things you can do to help if you are hoping to file some kind of car accident claim.
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- Always get the information from other drivers in the car accident, even if you are not sure of who caused the accident.
- Always reserve pointing the finger for when you speak with an attorney. Arguing, yelling, and blaming the other driver at the scene of the accident will not help make your case any stronger.
- Always seek out medical attention after a car accident, even if you think your injuries are minor. If you decided you did not want to file a claim, this will ensure you go through the recovery process you need.
If you want to see what kinds of options you have after a car accident, contact an attorney at your earliest convenience.