If you have suffered injuries in a car accident due to the carelessness of another driver in South Dakota, it is within your rights to seek monetary damages. However, making certain mistakes following the car collision can harm your chances of getting the full compensation to which you are entitled. To protect your best interests, there are several actions that are important to take, as well as to avoid, following a crash.
What should I do?
Immediately following a car collision, some important do's include contacting police, seeking medical attention and cooperating with emergency personnel and law enforcement who are responding to the crash scheme. Gathering information about the person believed to have caused the accident is also critical, including the person's name and license plate number, as well as his or her driver's license number, address and phone number.
Another important step at the scene is to take pictures of the scene as well as of any injuries you have suffered. When photographing the scene, it can be helpful to get pictures from all angles possible as well as to photograph the surrounding area. Keeping a record of all of the days of work you miss as a result of your accident-related injuries can also be paramount for your case.
What should I avoid doing?
It is critical that you avoid talking about who might have caused the wreck, whether you are talking with the allegedly at-fault person or with another witness at the scene. This is also true when you are speaking with an insurance company representative. If you end up apologizing for something related to the wreck, this may actually be treated as evidence that you were the one who was at fault from a legal standpoint.
Why should I get an attorney?
A knowledgeable attorney in South Dakota can provide you with the representation and legal advocacy you need to get the maximum monetary compensation possible from the right insurance company following a vehicle accident. For this reason, it is critical that you avoid agreeing to any settlement terms without getting in touch with an attorney first and allowing him or her to review the offer.
A successfully fought claim may lead to the monetary damages you need to cover your medical bills and the loss of wages, if the car collision prevented you from working for an extended period of time.
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