Recovering from a serious car accident can be frustrating and painful. As such, car accident victims may rush the follow-up process to get back to the way things were before the accident as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, leaving the accident scene without collecting necessary information, may cause you to come up short in your settlement. Instead, you should take your time at the scene and understand your legal options.

Following up after a car accident

You shouldn’t leave the accident scene without reporting the incident and talking to the other party. If you are in critical condition, then you obviously won’t be able to get up and assess the damage that took place. However, calling the police is a requirement in car accidents in Florida involving injuries. And having a police officer come to the scene will ensure that you least have their report of the accident to reference if you plan to file a personal injury claim.

Otherwise, it’s important to exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. You should also talk to witnesses, jot down your version of the story you shared with the police officer and snap pictures of the scene. Having anything to share how the accident unfolded and show the other driver’s mistakes led to this traumatic event can help you build your case. It’s crucial to remember that when speaking with anyone at the scene, you shouldn’t say that any part of the accident was your fault.

Filing a personal injury claim

Although Florida’s no-fault policy allows both parties to get medical compensation for accident-related injuries through their own insurance, medical bills aren’t the only cost you’ll face after the crash. Plus, you can seek property damage compensation through filing an insurance claim against the driver who caused the accident.

Keep in mind that you can also take your settlement to court when you are a victim of an accident that wasn’t minor by any means. You can consult with a personal injury attorney before settling with an insurance company that might not have your best interest in mind.

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