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Car Accident Report – New Orleans Lawyer

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Car Accident Steps – What I need to do after an accident.

Getting into an automobile accident is never a fun experience. You are driving along in your car, possibly with your family and children, and then out of nowhere, you get rear-ended or worse, t-boned at an intersection. Once this happens, there are some things you need to know to prepare yourself and protect yourself in event of personal injury. Feel free to read this and call me if you have any questions at 504-599-8666.

  1. Call the Police and Get an Accident Report – When you are in an accident, the police officer who shows up to the scene and investigates will draft a report. He or she will usually assign fault against one of the driver’s to act as evidence for the traffic citation and possible, eventual lawsuit. Without this report, it is difficult to go back in time to assign blame to someone. Think about it, do you think anyone would voluntarily say “Sure, i was responsible for running the red light!” It’s not going to happen, folks;
  2. Go To the Doctor and Get Checked Out – Even if you are in a minor fender-bender, go to the doctor and get a check-up. If you believe you are badly injured, go the emergency room immediately to get x-rays and get an examination by a physician;
  3. Take Pictures of the Accident Scene – Sometimes, a police officer who arrives on scene will not take photographs of what happened. Documenting the accident will help you later to get your damages compensated by your or the offending driver’s insurance company. It is particularly helpful if you take these on the day of the actual accident. It will also help you in the future in the event your hire a New Orleans Attorney to pursue your personal injury lawsuit;
  4. Report the Accident to YOUR insurance carrier. – You usually have an obligation under you insurance policy to report your claim immediately. However, do not call and talk to the other insurance company who has a policy for the driver who hit you. This could hurt your eventual lawsuit.

Once you do all of the above, a number of things will happen. Based on liability or “who was at fault”, your or the other insurance carrier may issue you a check to make repairs to your car. They may tell you to take it to a local repair shop to make the repairs. Now, as it relates to your injuries and/or lost wages for dealing with this accident, this is where it gets tricky. If you were not at fault, it will be difficult for you to get reimbursed for your time and injuries dealing with this car accident. That is where I come in. Please feel free to give me a call at 504-599-8666 or contact me on my website.

Lawyer Joey LaHatte

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