Acton, MA Car Accident Lawyer
When proving liability for car accident injuries, victims need evidence of the other driver’s negligence, which our lawyers can help them preserve and collect after a collision.
To gather evidence at an accident site, use your phone to take pictures of anything that appears related to the collision, like property damage, nearby traffic signs, broken glass or car parts, or road defects. Take this opportunity to talk to witnesses and request their contact information, but do not discuss the accident in detail. Police officers might also talk to eyewitnesses and can help victims get negligent drivers’ details while they focus on getting assistance from paramedics. Emergency medical response services can take you from the accident location to the hospital, where you can get the necessary treatment and a diagnosis for your injuries. Keep getting care for as long as you need to recover, and do not stray from your treatment plan, as this could jeopardize your financial recovery.
For help with your case from the Law Office of John J. Sheehan, call our Boston car accident lawyers today at (617) 925-6407.
How Victims Can Preserve Evidence at Car Accident Sites in Acton, MA
Taking detailed photos and videos at a crash site can preserve crucial evidence. Victims can also talk to eyewitnesses and request their contact information so that we can quickly schedule interviews. Always call the police to report an accident, even if it appears minor, as officers can help victims document the scene and collect important information from negligent drivers.
Take Pictures and Videos
An effective way to preserve a crash site is to photograph the surrounding area, including exact points of impact and property damage. Victims can use their phones to take photos or ask first responders for assistance upon their arrival.
In addition to photographing damage, take pictures of any visible injuries to your person. These photos can be effective when showing you were injured because of this specific car accident involving the defendant and not another incident.
You can take videos encompassing the entire accident scene, including nearby traffic lights or stop signs that could factor into your case, especially if the negligent driver ignored traffic signals when causing the accident.
We can promptly assess the crash location to determine if cameras are nearby, like private security cameras. Depending on the angle and clarity of the video footage, it could show the at-fault driver being negligent and hitting your vehicle.
Talk to Eyewitnesses
Eyewitnesses might pull over to help victims after an accident. While you do not need to have detailed conversations with eyewitnesses and review what happened, you can ask them for their contact information. Victims can give our car accident lawyers eyewitnesses’ names and phone numbers in the following days, and we can begin scheduling interviews. If you cannot speak to eyewitnesses long enough to obtain their contact details, we may be able to identify them upon reviewing the accident report from law enforcement.
Call the Police
Police officers can help victims preserve and collect crucial information after car accidents, beginning with a negligent driver’s personal and insurance information. Victims might be too injured to speak to at-fault drivers, and law enforcement can handle talking to other drivers and filling out accident reports. Police officers can also help victims photograph accidents and ensure they get the appropriate onsite medical care from paramedics.
How Victims Can Document Injuries from Acton, MA Car Accidents
Victims may begin documenting their injuries from car accidents immediately by calling 911 and getting care from paramedics at the scene. They should then go straight to the hospital, after which they should closely follow their treatment plans so no gaps form in their care and they do not hinder their physical or financial recovery.
Call Paramedics
Apart from taking pictures of your injuries, the first thing to do to document injuries is call 911 and request assistance from paramedics. When paramedics reach crash sites, they can immediately assess and stabilize victims’ injuries. Paramedics can explain victims’ injuries to police if they cannot do so themselves, and officers can then indicate the severity of victims’ injuries in accident reports. Paramedics can initiate the medical records for your injuries and necessary treatment and quickly and safely transport you to the nearest hospital for further medical evaluation and care.
Go to the Hospital
You should have doctors assess you after an accident, even if you feel fine. Internal injuries might not present right away, much like whiplash injuries, and victims can identify these injuries sooner and start on the right treatment plan when they get immediate medical attention.
Going to the hospital after a car accident might be overwhelming, as doctors might have to run various tests to confirm the severity of your injuries and begin the appropriate treatment. Do not leave the hospital against doctors’ advice, as this would be reflected in your medical record and could jeopardize your compensation claim down the line.
Follow Your Treatment Plan
After leaving the emergency room, victims might have to follow up with specialists to get additional surgeries or monitor their recoveries. Victims who suffer back or spinal cord injuries might need to go through extensive physical therapy, including prescription medications and other treatments. As you follow your treatment plan, you continue to generate records our lawyers can use as evidence in your case. Furthermore, it will help our lawyers certify that you pass the serious injury threshold in Massachusetts under Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 231, § 6D and can pursue compensation for non-economic damages. If you stop following your treatment plan and miss scheduled and important medical appointments, that could create significant gaps in your care that undermine your claim.
Call Our Acton, MA Injury Lawyers for Help Today
Call the Law Office of John J. Sheehan’s car accident lawyers at (617) 925-6407 for a free case discussion.
