What to Do After an Accident in Chicago
A serious car or truck accident can leave victims shaken, confused, and unsure of what to do. The steps you take in the hours, days, weeks, and months that follow a motor vehicle accident in Chicago, however, can significantly impact your physical well-being as well as the outcome of your personal injury claim or lawsuit. At Lloyd Miller Law, our accident lawyers guide injured victims and their families through the legal process, answering their questions and addressing their concerns as their case progresses to ensure they recover emotionally, physically, and financially.
Schedule your free consultation with the accident lawyers at Lloyd Miller Law in Chicago to learn more about what to do after a serious accident in Illinois. 773-838-8100.
Steps to Take After a Motor Vehicle Accident
Your own health and safety and the well-being of other crash victims are priorities after a car accident. If you are able, move to a safe place near the accident scene and wait for emergency responders to arrive. Try to distance yourself and other victims far enough away from oncoming traffic or severely damaged vehicles that you are not in danger.
Call 9-1-1 to notify the police and emergency medical professionals that an accident has occurred. Try to be as specific as possible when giving the dispatcher the location of the accident and information about any serious injuries. In severe car accidents that involve multiple vehicles or life-threatening injuries, dispatchers may be able to get emergency response helicopters en route and notify nearby hospitals so they can be prepared to receive victims.
If your injuries do not appear to be severe, collect contact information from the other driver(s) and any witnesses who may have seen or heard the accident. While this information is generally included in the police report, crash scenes are often chaotic, and it is not unusual for a witness to be overlooked.
If you are able, use your cellphone to take photos or videos of the accident scene. Try to capture all vehicles involved from various angles, skid marks, debris, and any other details that might help demonstrate how the accident happened. For example, if a defective tire caused your crash, be sure to take pictures. Make note of any nearby security cameras that might have captured the crash as well.
The police will be able to take statements and create a report of the accident. They can also control the scene and make sure it is safe. It is important to cooperate with the police after an accident. However, crash victims should stick to the facts when answering questions, avoid offering additional information about the accident, or admitting responsibility. Anything you say in the moments after a car accident can be used as evidence against you in an injury case.
Delaying medical treatment can be deadly. It is critical for accident victims to be evaluated by a medical professional as soon as possible after a crash, even if injuries do not seem severe. Many serious and even life-threatening injuries do not cause symptoms for hours or even days after an accident happens. In some cases, shock can mask symptoms of severe injuries. Additionally, your medical records are a necessary part of your personal injury claim or lawsuit.
Your ability to recover fair compensation is limited without assistance from an experienced personal injury lawyer. At Lloyd Miller Law, our accident attorneys will guide you through the injury claim process, gather evidence to determine liability, interview witnesses, obtain statements from medical experts and accident reconstructionists, and stand up to powerful insurance companies on your behalf.
Insurance companies are not on your side after a motor vehicle accident. Insurers are in business for one reason — profit. In fact, insurance adjusters often get rewarded by their employers for saving the company money by minimizing the value of an injured person’s claim. You are under no obligation to give any statement to an insurance company other than basic information like your name and address. Give no more details and refer additional inquiries to your personal injury attorney.