US government statistics show that almost one in three motor vehicle accidents result in injury to one of the participants in the accident. If you are involved in one it is important to call a car accident lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that you will have your medical bills paid for after the event.
Scary Statistics in Car Accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are around 6.5 million accidents on US roads every year, of which there are 2.7 million injuries from them and 36,000 deaths. Very few of them are blameless or ‘acts of God’ as some describe them.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data shows that ‘driver inattention’ is one of the biggest causes of car accidents and injuries. Driver inattention can involve the driver texting someone or playing with their cellphone, or even eating and drinking while at the wheel. Around one in six of all motor vehicle accidents involving injuries are caused by driver inattention while one in 12 involving deaths are from the same cause.
The CDC also shows that 83,000 car accident injuries a year are from the driver not having enough sleep in the days before. Other data from large scale surveys shows that as many as one in 25 drivers admitted falling asleep at the wheel in the last 30 days.
Driving while under the influence of drink or drugs is another major issue where it comes to accidents that cause injuries and fatalities. When the accident occurs however you will not be aware of the causes of the accident – just that it has occurred. In the next section we will look at what you should do immediately after it has happened.
Actions Immediately After the Accident
Use your judgement – if there is a need for emergency services or even roadside recovery after the accident, call 911 and summon police or an ambulance.
You should take photos of the accident scene before any vehicle has been moved out of position. Your smartphone will record geographical and time data as part of the photos.
Get the insurance details of the other driver.
If you are injured, get medical help the same day as the accident has occurred. This reduces the chances of a good defence lawyer arguing that you received the accident from a separate event.
Discuss with the police your experience of the event. Give as clear a statement to them as possible to set out your position. This will be factored into any legal proceedings that take place after the event.
As soon as possible after the event, tell your insurers about the accident and instigate they claim against the other party’s insurer. At the same time, call a car accident lawyer to instigate your claim, and they will look after the legal side in order for you to claim back medical expenses, time lost from employment and so forth. It is important you should do this as soon as possible as in Indiana there is a statute of limitations on personal injury claims.
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