Hoosiers depend on daily automobile transportation to get them from place-to-place, and our reliance on motor vehicles makes it almost impossible to travel anywhere without them. Although cars undoubtedly make it easier to get from point A to point B, they offer no guarantee of safety.
Car crashes happen all the time, and victims frequently end up with more than just a few bumps and bruises. If you’ve survived a motor vehicle collision, you know how stressful it can be: you’re likely to be preoccupied with family responsibilities, work obligations, and the cost of future medical treatment.
If you can keep the following four things in mind, you’ll be well on your way to keeping your stress within manageable levels:
- Try to remain calm. Remember that the person who hit you almost certainly didn’t do so intentionally. They’re probably just as upset and as anxious as you are.
- Call the police and make a police report. This is important even if you think the damage is minimal. It’s always a good idea to have documentation, and a police report is frequently the easiest way to achieve this. Treat everyone with respect (remember: this is stressful for everybody), and if possible, take pictures of the vehicles and the damage.
- If you’re in pain, seek medical treatment. The responding police officer will usually ask about your condition and offer to call an ambulance—this is not the time to prove how tough you are. If you’re on the fence, take the ambulance. Also keep in mind that injuries present themselves in different ways. A broken bone hurts RIGHT NOW, whereas the pain of soft tissue damage might not surface until after your body has finished processing its surge of adrenaline. Even if you feel fine at the scene of the crash, it’s probably a good idea to give your primary care physician a call and seek their advice.
- Don’t talk to the insurance company, unless it’s your own. This is the most important thing to remember as insurance companies do not have your best interests at heart. Quick settlement offers are their strategy, and getting you to go away is their game. If an insurance representative tries to steer you toward a particular location or type of medical treatment, this should make you suspicious. Only you can make this decision. When selecting a medical provider, talk to people you trust, exercise caution, and use common sense.
If you or a loved one has been in an automobile crash and you’d like to discuss your options, please give the attorneys at the Marc Lopez Law Firm a call or text at 317-632-3642.
