Personal Injury | May 6, 2021 by JOSHUA D. ANDERSON

Protecting Your Rights After A Car Accident

If you have been in a car accident, you should consider contacting the authorities and seeking medical attention if you are injured. 

Whether you simply are enjoying the scenery in Bonney Lake, running errands around town, or commuting to work in Tacoma, there is a risk of being involved in a car accident.  Crashes can be traumatic experiences, and many people have a difficult time knowing what to do in the aftermath.  However, what you do or don’t do, can impact you. Contacting the police is worth considering in order for the police to ensure the responsible party is identified, contact help if needed, document the facts and to ensure necessary information is exchanged. Sometimes, adrenaline can mask a serious health issue. Other times, the full weight of injuries may not become know until some time has passed. Regardless, if you are injured it is worth seriously considering seeking medical attention. We believe that the recovery of your health is the most important consideration following a collision, and in many cases a doctor’s treatment is necessary to help somebody that is injured seek a full recovery. 

Below are some things to remember following an accident whenever possible.  For additional guidance or to discuss your specific accident and injuries, contact our Bonney Lake car accident attorneys directly. 

Call 911

Once you are safely out of the path of traffic, it is wise to call 911 if you believe you (or anyone else) suffered injuries or if you think another driver caused the crash.  Calling 911 can help protect your rights in two main ways:

1. Gets medical professionals to the scene, where they can assess your injuries and advise whether you need emergency transportation to the hospital. 
2. Gets police officers to the scene, and they should evaluate whether a driver violated the law and issue possible citations or make arrests.  

Seeking Medical Attention

If you need an ambulance ride, listen to the professionals.  However, you might be injured but not seriously enough that you need emergency transportation.  In this situation, you should be mindful that an urgent care visit may help rule out more serious issues and make appropriate referrals to treat identified injuries. 

Having a timely diagnosis of all of your injuries helps with ensuring you obtain timely treatment aimed at improving your condition(s), which may improve your prognosis.

Some injuries might not have obvious symptoms right away.  If you start to notice symptoms in the coming hours, days, or even weeks, it is prudent to consider getting checked out.  Further, some people mistake injury symptoms for a “normal” response to the trauma of the crash. For example, if you feel disoriented, you might think it is from the stress of the incident, but it might be a sign of a concussion.  You might also think it is expected to feel sore or stiff after a crash, when in reality, you suffered soft tissue injuries.  Regarding injuries, it is prudent to err on the side of caution.  

Consult with Our Bonney Lake Car Accident Attorneys

To protect your rights, consider contacting a personal injury attorney. Keep in mind that seeking compensation for your losses can be more challenging and complicated than you think, and a lawyer can assist with:

• Identifying liable parties
• Communicating with insurance companies
• Calculating your damages
• An attorney may also be needed to file a lawsuit if an insurance company is not dealing fairly with you, in order to seek full and fair compensation for the harms and losses you have suffered.

To best protect your rights after a car accident, you should consider contacting an attorney. The attorneys at Anderson Law, PLLC, can be reached at (253) 862-1811 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.  

The information contained on this website is intended for informational purposes only, and is not legal advice. Nothing in this website establishes an attorney-client relationship between us. Different facts can dramatically affect a legal opinion. You should consult an attorney for legal advice that pertains to your personal situation.