First of all, you should always take the situation seriously and do your best to remember everything that happens. While this may be a difficult task to accomplish if you are in pain, you need to write as much down as possible so you have the event documented. You will probably need to turn to a personal injury attorney for aid in receiving monetary compensation, and your having the events of the accident documented will greatly help them to win your case.
Try your best to write down as much as possible. You want your story to be told accurately. Do not rely on your memory, because experiencing any type of bodily harm may put you in an unusual state of mind, interfering with your ability to remember the event later. If you are unable to write the information down, get someone else present to transcribe for you. If you were alone when you got hurt, get a police officer to help you out. However you get the information down, make sure it is done accurately and completely.
As soon as the accident occurs, seek medical attention. Do not just wait around until the police show up. Keep your well being in mind and do not risk the chance of making your injuries worse. An injury is nothing to be taken lightly. After calling for medical assistance, contact the right authorities as soon as possible. Also, make sure you contact any insurance company that will need to know about your ordeal. This may include auto insurance or health insurance companies.
Make sure you write down any contact information that will be necessary in a case. Get the license plate numbers (if applicable), names, addresses, and telephone numbers from everyone involved in the accident. Make sure you also get insurance information from all the drivers as well. Write down the contact information for any witnesses that were around and saw anything. If a dog bites you, get the pet owner’s contact information and the animal’s license information. Do not rely on the police or other authorities to retrieve this information for you, unless you are unable to write it down yourself.
If you are able to, take pictures of the scene of the accident or injury. Get pictures of the scene and any surrounding areas. If an animal bites you, get a picture of it as evidence. You should also take pictures of your injury, if possible. You may have to wait until you get to a hospital in order to do that. If your personal injury cannot be seen with a camera, get copies of your x-rays or the doctor’s report.
All of this information will be useful when you contact a personal injury attorney. If a settlement has been offered, make sure you find a reliable attorney to discuss it over with. Do not agree to anything right after the accident occurs. Get a good idea of how serious your personal injury is and then make an informed decision.
By Tamara C. Jude