No one wakes up in the morning thinking that they will be the victim of a hit-and-run accident, but it happens all the time. It is one of those things that you never think will happen to you either, but the reality is that no one is exempt from an accident such as this and around 1.35 million people die each year in road traffic accidents.
It takes only one irresponsible driver to realize the implications of their actions and drive off, leaving you with the repercussions. Being prepared for what happens after you were in the accident is the best course of action anyone can take.
Consult the professionals
The first thing you need to know about a hit-and-run accident is that you have some money coming your way. A personal injury lawyer will be able to navigate the legal waters on your behalf so that you can get the maximum settlement amount.
Stephen F Thompson, the leading car accident lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama, specializes in car accident claims and knows all the pitfalls. He will guide you through the entire legal process.
Dealing with the trauma of a car accident is taxing enough so there is no need to try and do the legal work on your own as there are professionals who do it for a living.
Getting the right medical attention
Car accidents have very specific injuries associated with them and a regular PG might misdiagnose or miss an injury. When you get the right treatment and rehab, you could regain full functionality, depending on the nature of your injury. Your practitioner will also be able to write a statement on your behalf to strengthen your claim.
Preserving the value of our claim
When you are in an accident, there are a couple of things that you need to do to preserve the value of your claim. You must record as much information about the incident as possible, even if you are not going to use that information immediately. If at all possible, you need to take down the details of any witnesses. Their word will strengthen your claim later on.
Next, you should keep a journal of how your life has changed due to the accident. This will serve as your defense during a lawsuit. You need to keep a record of all your expenses, visits to the doctor and any medication that you needed to buy.
It is important to wait until you have reached an appropriate level of recovery before you make your claim, seeing that you can only claim once. If you jump the gun and realize later that your expenses are more than anticipated, then you cannot go back and claim a second time.
Steer clear of social media
The temptation to post things on social media is understandable, but it should be avoided. When you make your claims, there will be an opposition trying to debunk your claim.
If you post anything related to the accident on social media, it could be used against you. The same goes for talking to an adjuster before speaking to your attorney. Your conversation will probably be recorded and could be used against you.
Keep in touch
When you get a lawyer, you need to stay in constant communication. A lot of time goes by between the accident and that claim payout. Many things can change during this time and complications or unforeseen circumstances can arise, which could influence your claim.
That is why you need to inform your lawyer of anything that changes and that could have an impact on your claim. Rather provide the lawyer with too much information than assume that a piece of info is not important or relevant.