A sudden car crash in Los Angeles can change your life forever. If the accident resulted from the other driver’s disregard for safety or negligence, you could recover a settlement by filing a personal injury lawsuit. If you were partly responsible for the crash, you could still file a lawsuit, but your fault percentage would determine the eventual compensation from the given settlement. It all starts by filing a third-party claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Before all that, you have to take a few appropriate steps to preserve your interests. Talking to car accident attorneys Los Angeles can also come in handy for knowing your rights. Here are the steps you must follow after a crash in LA.
- Remain at the accident scene. Even if the accident seems like a minor blip, don’t leave the accident scene and wait for the police.
- Call 911. If you (or other drivers, passengers) are injured, seek medical attention. Unless you are trained, don’t try to move the injured.
- Move your car. Provided it’s safe to do so, move your vehicle to a safer area to avoid traffic disruption.
- Exchange contact details. Talk with other drivers at the scene and get their contact and insurance info. If there were witnesses, you need their contact details too.
- Don’t admit fault. Regardless of what happened, never admit fault to the other party or the police. Make sure that you maintain your calm.
- Take photos and videos. You have to document the accident scene in pictures. Consider as many videos and pictures as you can.
- Note down the details. You may forget key details in the days following the crash. Ensure that you write down everything on a piece of paper.
- Report the crash. California laws make it necessary for drivers involved in a crash to report the same. You need to report the accident to the California DMV within ten days.
- Inform your insurance company. Once you feel better, inform your insurer about the crash. Don’t admit anything or say untrue facts.
Call a lawyer
Talking to a personal injury lawyer immediately after the accident is important. You can find numerous law firms in LA that specialize in car accident claims and lawsuits, and their lawyers would be happy to share facts with you. You don’t have to pay an immediate fee to seek legal help. Almost all personal injury lawyers in the city work on a contingency fee, where they get paid when the client wins a settlement.
