What should I do after a car accident in Louisville to protect myself? What are the legal requirements for someone involved in a motor vehicle accident in Kentucky?
Most of the people who will suffer injuries in a Louisville car accident this year have never been involved in a collision resulting in injury before. Any motorcycle, car or truck collision resulting in injury can also lead to a personal injury claim. The actions you take after the accident can make a significant impact on not only the value of your personal injury claim, but your ability to recover for your injuries at all.
“Ok, but what should I do after a car accident in Louisville to protect myself and preserve all my options?”
The first and most important thing is to seek a thorough medical evaluation within 24 to 48 hours of the accident if you were not transported from the scene, even if you think you aren’t seriously injured. Many serious and painful long term injuries and associated symptoms can take days or weeks to appear. The failure to see a doctor in this time frame can virtually eliminate your ability to file a personal injury claim down the road, even if there were hidden injuries directly associated with the accident itself.
Kentucky requires a driver involved in an accident to do the following:
- Immediately stop if you are involved in an accident
- Render aid to anyone who is injured and call 9-1-1 or an ambulance
- You must file a written accident report with the Kentucky State Police within 10 days if you think the damage will exceed $500, or if the accident resulted in injury or the death of any person
- You should call police immediately if you think the damage exceeds $500, suspect the other driver of speeding or intoxication, or another driver was at fault for the accident
- If the cars involved in the accident and the occupants of the vehicles can be moved out of the flow of traffic it is usually safer to do so
What you say to other drivers, occupants and witnesses at the scene as well as your own family, friends, co-workers and on social media can adversely affect your valid personal injury claim. Don’t tell people your are uninjured, or make any other statements about your health or injuries until you have seen a medical professional. It is best to avoid social media altogether until you have spoken with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys.
Avoid speculating about what happened or why you think the accident happened in the immediate aftermath. If possible, use your cell phone to take as many pictures of the scene from as many angles as possible and document your own injuries. Ask any witnesses for their name, phone number and other contact information such as an e-mail address.
The experienced personal injury attorneys at HLH can help to answer your questions, especially “What should I do after a car accident in Louisville to protect myself?” We invite you to contact us or call (866) 583-9701 to speak with one of our attorneys personally for a free consultation to learn more.