With COVID-19 dramatically reducing the number of drivers on America’s roads, you might expect that automobile-related injuries and fatalities would also decline. Unfortunately, the reduced road traffic is encouraging many drivers to drive more recklessly, as police are unlikely to respond to an auto accident where nobody gets hurt and there aren’t that many other cars or pedestrians to crash into. Speed is the number-one factor in determining how bad an auto accident is, so reckless driving has ensured that accidents remain a significant problem.
One group that is acutely aware of this phenomenon is car insurance providers, and auto insurance is only getting more expensive as a result. In fact, national auto insurance rates have increased by a whopping 29.6 percent since 2011, with 44 of 50 states seeing increases in that time frame.
Nobody wants to be in an automobile accident, but it’s important to know what to do if you find yourself involved in one. The first step is contacting an experienced lawyer such as attorney Anthony O. Van Johnson to discuss the particulars of your case. Here are some other tips that can help your attorney get you the compensation you deserve:
- Exchange Info
This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised by how many auto accident victims take an at-fault party’s word that they’ll pay up only to never hear from them again. At a minimum, you should record the license plate numbers, cell phone numbers, and insurance providers of every vehicle involved in a crash for future reference. It is also recommended to take the contact info of any third-party witnesses in case their testimony is required.
- Take Pictures
The American judicial system is not designed around he-said-she-said scenarios, so anything you can document is a plus. Make sure to take a picture of every scratch and dent no matter how minor, as well as any injuries you or your loved ones might’ve sustained. This way, you’re ready to counter any argument along the lines of “I didn’t think they were hurt.”
It can also be beneficial to have pictures of what your vehicle used to look like so a judge and jury can see the damage for themselves. Go ahead and snap a few pics on your cell phone right now, just in case. You should also update these pictures periodically, as a snapshot from 10 years ago isn’t necessarily the best representation of what your car looked like before a recent accident.
- Save Everything
Perhaps most importantly, you should file everything related to your case in a safe place so you have it if you need it. For instance, a medical bill can help you recover your out-of-pocket medical costs, while a note from your physician indicating your inability to work could help you recover lost wages. You should also include all of the information you collected at the time of the accident.
- Be Prepared for Court
Many accident victims hope to avoid formal judicial proceedings, but defense attorneys can smell a reluctance to go to court a mile away. If the other side knows that you’ll make compromises to avoid a trial, they will absolutely use that information against you. Therefore, you should never accept blame or indicate a reluctance to go to court even if either situation is true.
You should also retain an experienced lawyer who knows how to handle automobile accident cases should it come to that. Attorney Anthony O. Van Johnson is an excellent example of somebody who can negotiate a favorable settlement on your behalf or take your case to trial, depending on the circumstances. Contact his law office today for more information on how he can help you put your life back together again!
