Accidents do happen every day, and they are never planned, thus the term accident. Unfortunately, it’s like these accidents continue rising day by day. No matter how we get careful, some drivers continue becoming careless leading to more accidents, injuries, and more deaths. The statistics are worrying but how you recover from the accident is what matters most. When you collide in an accident, you have rights either as the person at fault or as the victim. This article will discuss the rights of the victim of an accident. Here are your legal rights.
1. Right to get medical attention
Immediately after an accident, the first right thing is to get medical attention to avoid worsening the injuries and, the worst, losing your life. It is essential to get off the accident scene and step into any healthcare to get medical attention to save your life. The doctors you come into contact with must take the necessary steps in ensuring that the condition is cared for and that your situation is stable. Even when you are not in pain, it is important to rush to the hospital to be checked for any internal injuries until you get a clean bill of health. Your life comes first, and so must be your treatment after the accident.
2. Right to talk to the witnesses
After becoming a victim of an accident, your first step is seeking medical care. However, you should also gather evidence of the accident scene, which you can use in filing for compensation. Talking to witnesses to narrate or get their contacts is one of the required evidence. According to law experts from stokesstemle.com/car-accident-lawyer/, lack of witness accounts can make you lose an easy case. It’s essential to get any information they may know about the accident and their contact information. You can record their audio narration or get a written statement. If possible, you should also direct all the witnesses in the accident scene to record their accounts with the police to have a strong case against the third party.
3. Right to gather evidence
Besides the witnesses, you have to gather all evidence of the accident scene either in audio, video, images, or written. To succeed in any injury case, you must have this evidence and ensure you hand it to your attorney. How do you take the evidence? Using your phone, you can capture photos of the accident scene, the vehicles, road surface, weather, debris, and any condition that might have facilitated the accident. It is also necessary to take details of other cars, the driver’s license number, the vehicle registration number, and insurance information. Ensure you have all these things before the accident scene is cleared. If possible, you can record the other drivers’ details, including the state during the accident and if they were drunk-driving. Keep a record of whatever captures your attention. Your lawyer will guide you on what to use and what to discard during the case presentation.
4. Right to contact the police
Sometimes the police on patrol do witness the accident scene. Such will be an advantage to your case if it happens on time. If the police aren’t present at the scene, you have the right to call the police and inform them of an accident. The police will come, record the scene, and create a police report essential in your injury case. At times, the other party might suggest you settle the matter between yourselves. It would help if you did not succumb to this pressure since it might sabotage your case. Even when the accident is slight with no injuries, it’s essential to drive to the police station and record a statement. Driving off from the accident scene without reporting will make the other party go and file a case against you, even when they are at fault.
5. Right for compensation
When you get into an accident, the insurance company at fault must compensate you for the damages and the injuries. The law stipulates this right, but unfortunately, it doesn’t become automatic. You will have to collect the evidence and use your lawyer to present your case to the at-fault insurance company for compensation. What if the insurance company won’t compensate? When the insurance company fails to make the approved compensation, your attorney can take the matter to the courts to let the judge decide when and how you should get compensated for injuries and damages. Some of the things which fall under compensation include damages, injuries, medical costs, lost time, lost wages, and much more.
Do not let anyone gag your right at the accident scene. You have every right to do the above as stipulated by the law to ensure you develop a compelling compensation case. It is crucial getting a competent accident lawyer who will guide you through on the rights.
