It’s Roadside Traffic Safety Awareness Month: What Should You Do If You’re In A Roadside Accident?
July 20, 2021
July – October are the deadliest months in the year for roadside accidents. Fourth of July and Memorial Day are particularly deadly, with rates of collisions involving people driving under the influence significantly increasing compared to the normal average. To highlight this danger, July is observed as Roadside Safety Awareness Month.
Deratany & Kosner represents victims of roadside accidents. As common as roadside accidents are – especially at this time of year – people still suffer from a surprising lack of information about what to do if they’ve been injured in a motor vehicle accident. Motor vehicle accidents are traumatizing and can range in physical damage from some minor whiplash to a serious, life-altering injury. What a person or family does right after a catastrophic occurrence such as a motor vehicle accident can have a material impact on their ability to win litigation associated with the tragedy – I’d like to offer some critical reminders for people to know about what to do if they’ve been impacted by an accident.
- Preserve evidence. In any auto accident, you should move quickly to preserve evidence. Never assume that the police will secure witness statements – oftentimes, they won’t, so to whatever extent you’re able, gather the personal contact information of any witnesses.
- Obtain records. If you’re injured in an auto accident, immediately seek out a doctor’s exam and procure your records. Document any time that you lose from work, save any bills that you receive.
- Talk to an attorney before you take action yourself. You may think that it’s more efficient to deal with a liable party yourself, but insurance companies and reckless drivers will do everything in their power to limit how many damages you receive. It’s important to talk to an experienced law firm that has successfully litigated auto accidents before. It is more than worth your time to seek out a free consultation with a lawyer, explain the accident, and see what their strategy would be.
Too many lives are lost or irreparably damaged by roadside accidents year-round. Stay safe out there – and contact us today if you’ve been victimized in an auto accident.