How to document your car accident

Knowing how to properly document your car accident from the moment it occurs is important to ensure you are protected. A car accident victim should always be familiar with their legal rights and remedies and how to protect those rights.

The victim of a car accident should begin documenting their accident as soon as is practical following a car accident. Of course, the period of time following a car accident can be chaotic and traumatic and it is always important to seek medical treatment first but as soon as possible following the accident, the car accident victim should write down what happened when they will remember the most. In addition, they should begin to carefully document and record all medical care and treatment they have received.

As well as documenting what happened and what medical care and treatment they are receiving, victims of car accident should also record losses related to lost wages if they have to spend time away from work because of the car accident and the injuries and harm they have suffered. Victims of car accidents can receive compensation for damages including economic losses associated with medical expenses and lost wages and may also be able to recover pain and suffering damages.

Thoroughly documenting a car accident can help victims hold the negligent driver responsible for their accident accountable and seek compensation they need for the damages they have suffered. Victims of car accidents are protected by the personal injury legal process which is why it is something they should be familiar with and understand how it works.


Time limits on personal injury claims are important to understand

There are important time limits that apply to personal injury claims for damages that victims of car accidents and other types of accidents should be familiar with. Statutes of limitation are in important part of the law to understand because they establish the timelines and deadlines that apply to personal injury claims.

Statutes of limitation vary by state and can also vary by the type of civil claim that is being filed so it is important to be familiar with what the applicable statute of limitation is. In general, statutes of limitation range from 1 to 6 years in New York depending on the nature of the claim that is being filed. That clock for the statute of limitations begins when the wrong occurs or is discovered. When a victim has been wrongfully harmed by a negligent driver, they may be able to bring a claim for damages but must be aware of the statute of limitation.

It is also important to abide by statutes of limitations because if an injured victim fails to bring a claim in time, before the statute of limitations expires, the other party may request that the lawsuit be dismissed because it was filed after the statute of limitations expired. In New York state, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is 3 years. A personal injury claim for damages must be filed within 3 year of the car accident.

A personal injury claim for damages is a valuable legal protection for injured victims to consider that can help them recover compensation for the physical, financial and emotional harm they have suffered. As a result, it is important to pay attention to the statute of limitations to preserve a claim for damages.


Don't make these mistakes after a car crash

The second you are part of a car accident is when you begin to worry about the future. Who was at fault? Do I have any injuries? What type of damage did my vehicle sustain? What impact will the accident have on my finances now and down the road?

These are the types of questions that will run through your mind (and need answered at some point).

While there's a lot to think about, don't lose sight of the fact that you can only move through the process one step at a time.

Before we discuss the mistakes you don't want to make after a car accident, make sure that your health and well-being is your top priority.

Forget about everything else as you check yourself for injuries and decide what to do next.

Here are a handful of mistakes to avoid after a crash:

  • Don't feel compelled to move your vehicle, unless it's required by law or necessary to enhance your safety
  • Don't stand in or in close proximity to traffic, as you risk being part of another accident
  • Never leave the scene of an accident until you exchange information and/or police tell you that it's okay to do so
  • Don't throw away anything you could use as evidence in the future
  • Don't engage in conversation with the other people involved in the accident, as you don't want to say something that could work against you in the future
  • Don't share too much information with your insurance company until you first learn more about your policy and coverage levels

When there's no pressure, it's easy to assume you'll never make one of these mistakes. However, if you are part of an accident and there's a lot happening, you may fall prey to one or more of these mistakes.

After you check yourself for injuries and receive medical attention, you can turn your focus to the cause of the accident and the next steps to take. By knowing and exercising your legal rights, you can protect yourself and the right to seek compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering.


What do I do if I was hurt in a car accident?

Car accidents can be devastating for victims which is why it is important for them to be familiar with their legal protections if they have been injured in an unexpected car accident or other personal injury accident. There are important steps victims of car accidents should take following a car accident to preserve the personal injury protections available to them but they may wonder what they are.

A personal injury claim for damages will allow car accident victims to recover compensation for the harm they have suffered including compensation for their physical, financial and emotional injuries. Car accident victims should ensure that any evidence available related to the accident is collected which can include photographs and other relevant information. In addition, car accident victims should make sure to obtain information from witnesses who may have witnessed the car accident. If possible, they should obtain statements and identifying information for witnesses.

Additionally, victims should carefully record, in writing, the circumstances surrounding the car accident and the car accident itself. Police should also be summoned to the scene so that a police report will be available for use should it be needed later. It is also important to seek needed medical care and treatment and carefully document the medical care and treatment the victim receives. All of this information will be helpful should the victim decide at some point to pursue a claim for damages against a negligent driver responsible for the harm they suffered.

Personal injury protections are an important resource for victims of car accidents to be familiar with. Because they can help victims in many ways, it is important for car accident victims to be familiar with the personal injury legal protections available to them.


Help for victims of truck accident

Truck accidents can be harrowing for victims and can result in catastrophic injuries and harm to victims. Examples of catastrophic injuries that truck accident victims may suffer as a result of a truck or other commercial vehicle accident can include serious fractures, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, burns, paralysis and disability.

Truck accident victims may require ongoing medical care, treatment and in-home care. Sometimes the impact of a truck accident can last a lifetime. A personal injury claim for damages can help victims recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering damages. A personal injury claim can help victims with damages ranging from hospital costs to future medical care costs.

Because passenger vehicles are dramatically outweighed by big rig trucks, the consequences of a truck accident to victims can be life changing and the injuries can be severe. When truck accident victims have been injured by a negligent truck driver, such as a truck driver driving under the influence, distracted while driving or fatigued, or a negligent trucking company, such as a trucking company that fails to maintain its trucks or pushes its drivers to drive while fatigued, they may be liable to victims for the harmed suffered.

Victims of truck accidents can suffer the impacts of an unexpected truck accident for a lifetime which is why the legal process provides important resources and remedies for them to be aware of. Victims can recover compensation to help them with the recovery process which is something they should be familiar with it.


What happens when victims have been incorrectly diagnosed?

As this blog recently discussed, medical malpractice protections are an important legal resource for victims of medical negligence and doctor error. But what happens if the patient was not diagnosed correctly? Medical malpractice protections also extend to circumstances when there has been an erroneous diagnosis and can help in those situations as well.

In circumstances of a failure to diagnose, erroneous diagnosis or delayed diagnosis, victims may also be able to pursue medical malpractice protections because the medical care provider may have violated their standard of care in failing to diagnose the patient's medical condition or failing to do so properly. If the medical care professional failed to consider a diagnosis that another medical care professional would have reasonably considered in the circumstances, or failed to order the correct tests of interpret them correctly, they may be liable for medical malpractice.

If the medical care professional simply fails to consider the victim's symptoms, or dismisses them, they may be considered medically negligent and liable for medical malpractice damages. When the failure to diagnose, erroneous diagnosis or delayed diagnosis results in a worsening condition for the victim, they may be able to pursue damages against the negligent medical care provider. Failure to treat or treating the wrong medical condition because of doctor error can result in additional harm to the victim.

Medical malpractice protections protect victims who have been incorrectly diagnosed or have otherwise suffered harm because of the negligence of a medical care provider. It is important for victims of medical malpractice and their families to be familiar with this complex area of the law to understand the variety of legal options that may be available to them when harmed.