If you’ve ever been in a car accident before, you know it can be a scary experience. Even in the case of something as simple as a fender bender with no serious injuries. No one wants to find themselves in that position. Sadly, many people do have the misfortune of experiencing an accident at least once in their lifetime. If you’re one of these people and have recently been in an accident, you need a non-injury car accident lawyer.
At Greenwald Law Firm, we want you to stay prepared and informed in the case that you ever find yourself in a car accident. In this post, our Shreveport car accident lawyers answer your questions about non-injury car accidents and why you should hire a lawyer if you ever find yourself in one.
What To Do After A Car Accident
In the event of a car accident, you will likely have several questions running through your mind. First and foremost, remember not to panic. This goes with most situations, but it’s important to remember that panicking may only heighten the stress of the situation. Before you do anything else, make sure that you’re not in the way of any further danger. If you’re on a busy street where traffic is either coming or going, try to pull away to an area out of the line of traffic.
After you’re certain that you’re not in any danger, assess your injuries if you have any. In the midst of an accident, adrenaline might take over and you may not feel pain right away. This doesn’t always mean you haven’t experienced one or more common car accident injuries.
When the accident occurred, did you hit your head on your steering wheel? Against the seat? Did your seatbelt dig into your abdomen or shoulder with the force of the impact? Ask yourself these questions to ensure that you don’t have any internal injuries that you might not be feeling at the moment. If there is any chance that you or the other party involved did sustain injuries, you should call for medical services right away.
While you await police or medical personnel, you should exchange information with the other party. The information you need to exchange includes the following:
- Names
- Preferred contact details
- Phone numbers, addresses, emails
- Insurance information
- Company name and policy number
- Driver’s license number
- License plate number
Along with this information, you should also take pictures of both (or all) cars involved in the accident. Include all angles of any damage done to your vehicle as well as pictures of where the accident occurred.
Should I Report A Non-injury Car Accident?
In the case that there are no obvious injuries, you still need to call your local police for assistance. They will be able to file a report that will later help with your claim. Without having this police report, it will make dealing with insurance companies that much harder. Oftentimes, the lack of a police report results in the insurance provider denying your claim altogether.
It is important that you stay at the scene until authorities arrive. If either you or the other party leaves before police arrive at the scene, that can result in a hit and run charge.
After the police arrive, they will ask you to fill out a statement of what happened. Do not assign blame to yourself in the statement if you were not at fault. Make sure it is very clear what happened both when describing the accident to police and when filling out the statement sheet. If you are not sure of some details, don’t make anything up. Tell them only what you know for certain so as not to harm your case.
After the police complete their report, you are generally free to go home. If your car is not drivable, you’ll need to call a tow truck and find someone to pick you up.
The next step is to decide if you are filing the claim with your own insurance company or with the other driver’s. You’ll need to report the accident to either provider as either a first-party claim or a third-party claim within the next few days.
Can I Sue If I Wasn’t Injured In A Car Accident?
If you choose not to file a first-party or third-party claim through an insurance company, you have other options. Despite whether you received injuries or not, you are eligible to file a lawsuit. The state of Louisiana has a statute of limitations for one year. This means that from the exact date of the accident, you have one year to file a lawsuit. Once that statute of limitations is up, filing a successful lawsuit would be near impossible.
Whatever route you choose to take, you should have a non-injury car accident lawyer regardless. Your lawyer will make certain that insurance companies aren’t taking advantage of you by denying your claim or offering a settlement of less than what you deserve.
Why Do You Need A Non-Injury Car Accident Lawyer?
Many people assume that if no injuries occurred as a result of the accident, they do not need a lawyer. This is not true. Hiring a lawyer in these circumstances can be crucial for you to receive proper compensation. If there was any damage done to your vehicle, an experienced attorney can help you seek damages to cover any losses or costs of repair.
Repairing damages to a motor vehicle can be expensive. Without proper legal representation, chances are that you won’t receive full compensation for damages to your vehicle after an accident.
It is often the case that if an insurance company notices you do not have a lawyer representing you, they will try to take advantage of that fact. Their goal is to spend the least amount of money possible, and sometimes that might mean denying your claim or even placing the blame on you. Having a lawyer on your side means that you have someone looking out for your best interest and what will bring you the most compensation, not the other way around. Seasoned lawyers know the common tactics of insurance companies and know how to fight back against them.
Shreveport Non-Injury Car Accident Lawyer
You’ll find Shreveport’s best non-injury car accident lawyer here at Greenwald Law Firm.
The process following an accident can be difficult, but Joseph Greenwald is here to guide you through it. You can rely on our legal team to walk you through the entire legal system and make sure your best interests are being taken care of. Visit our website today to request your free consultation or give us a call at 318-219-7867 to see what we can do for you.
