Lots of people are confused about what to do after a motor vehicle accident. Those first few minutes and hours are key to the eventual outcome of the case. Knowledgeable injury lawyers can counsel clients on getting their point of view across in courts, but they cannot be there on the side of the road when the accident happens. Here are a few things that serve personal injury victims well when they encounter danger on the road.
Take Pictures
It is important to visually document the scene to uphold your version of events. Without photo documentation or other evidence, it often comes down to a “he said, she said” type of scenario. A few quick pictures can make all the difference in legal proceedings that try to establish driver fault, vehicle involvement and much more. Injury lawyers can often do a lot to support a client through the use of photos and other documentation.
Self-Coaching
Another good tip is to try to anticipate questions that will be asked at the scene. Even injury victims can sometimes feel daunted by the process of trying to explain what happened in a car accident. These types of accidents are sudden and they tend to trigger emotional volatility that can get in the way of sound, rational thinking. That being the case, after an accident, it is important to calm down and put your version of events forward rationally. In the immediate aftermath of a collision, a little calm self-coaching can do a lot for a person’s ability to represent their perspective to first responders and others.
Participate in the Police Report
The police report is often an important document in a vehicle accident case. Police officers show up on the scene, in part, to provide an objective and thorough report of what happened, which is often used in court at a later date. That means there is a benefit to getting your point of view into the police report by talking calmly and reasonably with police officers. By contrast, injury victims who act out and escalate crisis, or simply shrink away, may not be serving themselves well in terms of the eventual outcome they may get in court.
Personal injury lawyers do everything they can to present and promote their clients’ best interests in court. They do the necessary fact-finding and research that will support a personal injury case in an effort to provide the injury victim and his or her family with a better chance of obtaining fair settlements or other compensation.
If you or someone in your family was involved in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in injuries, call the skilled New York City attorneys at the law firm of Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff. We have experience helping New York City area residents learn about their rights under the law, and we assist them with pursuing personal injury cases.
