Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Austin, TX

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of injury and death in Austin. These collisions generate more personal injury claims than any other type of accident. If your accident resulted in an injury, you may be entitled to compensation. 

Car accident lawyers recommend taking certain steps to protect your accident claim — and your health. Here’s what to do after a car accident in Austin, TX:

Steps You Should Take Immediately After the Accident

Immediately after the accident, you should take the following steps (unless your injury prevents you from taking one or more of them.
 

• Call 911 and seek medical treatment for yourself and others. This is your highest priority. Perform any other activities while you are waiting for the ambulance to arrive, and only to the extent that you don’t hurt yourself that way.
• Cooperate with responding police officers so they can take a police report. This step could help you document your injury claim. Do not leave the scene of the accident until the police or the ambulance arrive. It is against the law in Texas to leave the scene of an accident.
• Exchange information with the other driver. Get the other driver’s name, address, phone number, insurance information, and license plate number. Texas law requires the exchange of contact and insurance details. Also, get contact details for any witnesses.
• Take photos and videos. Photograph anything that might be relevant, including all injuries and property damage.
• Document the scene of the accident. Record information such as the weather and anything else that might have contributed to the accident.

Attending to your medical needs should be your first priority. Addressing your legal needs is a close second.

Steps to Take in the Days and Weeks Following The Accident

Once you’ve received medical attention, you will need to take additional steps to protect any future injury claims you intend to file. These steps include:

• Collect your medical records and bills. Medical records are some of the most reliable forms of evidence in existence.
  
• Inform your insurance company of your accident as soon as possible —even if you plan to press a third-party claim against the at-fault driver’s insurance. The terms of your insurance police might even require you to do this. Speak to your lawyer about what information to divulge. 
• File a report with the Texas Department of Transportation if the accident resulted in injury or death or if property damage appears to be over $1,000. Police officers will complete this report if they respond to the accident.
• Strictly follow your doctor’s orders and attend followup treatments. This step is important to your recovery. However, following your doctor’s order will also prevent other parties from claiming you “failed to mitigate your damages” and reducing the value of your claim on that basis. 
• Get an estimate of the extent of your car’s property damage. Get something in writing from a garage.

Taking these steps will ensure you have documentation to support your personal injury claim. These steps could drastically improve your odds of winning a full settlement for your losses.

A Final and Important Step

The most important thing you can do for your injury claim, aside from seeking medical attention, is to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to discuss your case. Your personal injury attorney can help you understand your legal rights and options for recovering compensation. They can help you investigate and gather evidence of your injuries and the other party’s negligence. 

Your attorney can also help you calculate the value of your losses and give you an accurate idea of the value of your claim. In short, they can handle all legal aspects of your case and put you in position to maximize your claim’s worth. Contact an experienced lawyer today to schedule a consultation to discuss your claim. Most injury law firms offer free consultations.