Five Things to Do After a North Carolina Car Accident!
It’s unfortunate, but motor vehicle accidents happen – even to the safest of drivers. After a car accident, you may be angry, confused, and at a loss for words, but the most important thing to remember is that staying calm is truly your best bet. If you allow yourself to keep a level head throughout the entire post-accident process, you may find that it’s easier to manage, and can certainly become less of a headache.
Marcari, Russotto, Spencer and Balaban have put together a list of five things to do after you or someone that you love has been involved in a car accident in the state of North Carolina. North Carolina applies a strict contributory negligence standard in regard to motor vehicle accidents. The law states that you cannot possibly recover any compensation, if, your own carelessness contributed to the accident – even if the other party was determined to be 99% responsible. For more information on North Carolina motor vehicle accidents, please click here.
What Should I Do After a Car Accident?
That’s a great question! We completely understand that after a car accident there are numerous loose ends that need to be tied up and accounted for. Between potential property damage, medical bills, and any accident reports it becomes very easy to get caught up and lost inside all of the commotions.
We here at Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban have put together the top five things that you must do after a being involved in a motor vehicle accident in an attempt to help make the situation easier on not only you now, but you in the future as well. Check out all five steps below, and if further assistance is needed, please give us a call today! We can be reached at (855) 435-7247.
Check For Any Injuries, Call 911:
In the state of North Carolina, you are required by law to stop immediately at the scene of a car accident. To ensure your safety, make sure to pull to the shoulder of the road and enable your hazard lights – if possible – check and make sure that you and/or any other occupants of the vehicle are not suffering from bodily harm, and proceed with calling 911.
If it appears that someone in your vehicle or in the other vehicle that was involved is severely injured, DO NOT attempt to move them unless their vehicle is on fire. If you move them, it could potentially make their injury far worse than it already is – the best possible action to take is calling 911 and reporting it to the operator on the other end of the phone so that the appropriate help can arrive quickly.
Wait for the Police to Arrive:
Make sure that after an accident, whether you are the driver, or a passenger in the vehicle, that you contact the police as soon as you possibly can. Even if the other driver tries to offer you money, or if they hit your car and drive away, please stay where you are, and call 911.
In North Carolina, the type of officers that arrive at the scene of your accident solely depends on where the accident itself took place. It can range from local police officers to county sheriff’s deputies or even possibly state troopers. Regardless of the type of officer that arrives, they will most certainly ask you questions ranging from a request for identification to proof of insurance. registration. and so on.
It’s important to remember to comply with the officer(s) during the investigation and to not become aggressive towards them – as they’re only trying to do their job, and ultimately help you.
Preserve Accident Scene Evidence:
One of the most critical parts of being involved in a motor vehicle accident is the minutes following the actual accident itself. The accident scene has incredibly important information that you will be able to rely upon later when attempting to support your claim for potential damages against the driver you assume to be at fault for the accident.
To make sure that enough evidence is captured, it’s best to use your smartphone to take photos and/or videos of the accident scene itself. Make sure to take photos of any exterior damage to your vehicle, as well as any interior damage that may have also occurred. It’s also important to make sure that you take photos of the license plates from both vehicles. as well as any skid-marks or road-related conditions that may have additionally played a part in the motor vehicle crash itself.
It’s also important to make sure that you seek out and speak to any witnesses that may have seen the crash, and document their side of the story, while also getting their name and phone number. Take notes on what you remember about the accident, and document anything that you may think contributed to it taking place – it will certainly play a huge role later on, especially when speaking to an attorney.
Beware of Insurance Adjusters:
If you are at the scene of a motor vehicle accident, and an insurance adjuster shows up, do not answer any of their questions before speaking to an attorney. The only people that you should speak to at the scene of an accident are the police officers who respond, emergency personnel over the phone (911) and any witnesses who saw the accident itself take place.
Also, and this is extremely critical, do NOT sign anything that an insurance adjuster gives you – it could potentially derail your entire claim altogether, and it may end up leaving you without any type of financial compensation.
Know When to Hire an Attorney!
At Marcari, Russotto, Spencer and Balaban our motor vehicle accident attorneys have built a network of investigators and accident reconstructionists who are incredibly distinguished in their field. We work together with these experts to determine the cause of your motor vehicle crash, and we collaborate with our own medical experts to document the full extent of any injuries sustained. If we’re able to properly determine that the injuries and property damage that took place were a direct result of the other parties’ negligence and/or reckless behavior, we will commit to using our full force in fighting for the maximum compensation.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban today!
If you sustained serious injuries in an auto accident anywhere in North Carolina, South Carolina, or Virginia, Marcari, Russotto, Spencer & Balaban may be able to help. We thoroughly investigate the circumstances of your accident and aggressively pursue the maximum compensation possible for your injuries. Call us today at (855) 435-7247 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
You can also contact us by filling out the form below. Once you’ve filled it out, and we’ve received it, we will make sure to reach out to you as soon as we possibly can. Thanks!
