So You’re at Fault for a Personal Injury Accident: Next Steps

You’re in your brand new convertible; it feels as if you have waited a lifetime to zip up and down the blacktops that circle city limits with the top down. You’re just zooming across an old country highway with the wind in your hair when your phone buzzes: it’s your best friend asking how the new ride feels.

You’re typing out a response while about 500 yards ahead, a woman with headphones in is jogging across the road. She didn’t notice you barreling down the road.

The idea of car and truck accidents is a concept that is far from reality for most of us until tragedy is shoved into our lives: a classmate killed in a drunk driving accident, heavy machinery in construction accidents on the local news, a phone call that a distant relative has been badly hurt in a crash.

Regardless of how distant or immediate the consequences of car and truck accidents are in your life, it’s important to be educated on what to do when you find yourself on the wrong side of a Portland personal injury claim.

Get in touch with your insurance company.

You probably don’t remember off of the top of your head what you set your limits at on liability, medical, and property damage coverage. If you have been in an accident and someone has filed a personal injury claim, you need to contact your insurance company right away to find out how much of the expenses they will cover, and how much you will be liable for. Be honest with your car insurance provider; if they investigate your accident and find out you covered up things you were at fault for or misconstrued the nature of the accident to them, you are only creating more problems for yourself.

Hire a personal injury attorney.

Hiring a professional to help you get through the personal injury claim can help you find out what your best option is as far as fines, settlements, and any possible citations or criminal charges. And, it is best to be just as honest with your attorney as you are with your insurance provider; having a consistent recount of the events across the board that is accurate and not exaggerated will help you reach a settlement easier.

In the future, be a preventative driver.

Did you know that over one million people are arrested annually for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics? If substance abuse was involved in your accident, the personal injury claim will be much more devastating to your future, both financially and as a driver. The best way to avoid ending up in a car accident that comes with injury, tragedy, and high price tags is to be a careful, preventative driver. Avoid distractions like texting, substance abuse like driving under the influence, and even driving in inclement weather where possible.

We put our lives, the lives of anyone in our vehicle, and the lives of other drivers and pedestrians at stake when we practice unsafe driving habits. Even though it is something that we all do almost every day, we often forget how much of a responsibility operating a motor vehicle is.