With more than 130,000 hospitalizations due to traffic accidents in New York each year, it’s clear that a significant number of people are still getting hurt on the City’s roads. Whether you live and work in New York or you’re just visiting, it’s important to know exactly what to do if you’re involved in an accident. To ensure you’re always prepared, take a look at these six things to do after a car accident in New York:
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1. Obtain Medical Help
If you need emergency medical assistance following a road traffic accident, call 911 so that medics can be dispatched to the scene. If you don’t require urgent or life-saving treatment, it’s still important to seek medical help after an accident. Visiting the ER will ensure any injuries can be properly diagnosed and treated.
2. Move Your Vehicle
If you’re able to and it’s safe to do so, you should move your vehicle to a safe location following a collision. If there isn’t parking nearby, you can move your vehicle to the side of the road to prevent it obstructing the highway. However, if you’ve been hurt or you’re unsure whether it’s safe to move your vehicle, leave it in situ and call for help instead.
3. Notify the Police
If someone has been injured as a result of a car accident in New York, you must inform the police. Even if emergency assistance isn’t required, you are still required to notify the police. If an investigation needs to be carried out or you require documentation to make a claim on your insurance policy, police officers will need to gather information about how the incident occurred.
4. Exchange Contact Details
Before leaving the scene of an accident, it’s essential to exchange contact details with the other parties involved. If you collided with another vehicle, for example, you and the driver of the other vehicle should exchange your vehicle registration, the name of your insurers, and your drivers’ license information.
5. Contact a Lawyer
If you’ve been injured due to an incident on the road, you may be eligible to receive compensation. By contacting car accident attorneys like Jacob Oresky, you can get the bespoke advice and assistance you need in the aftermath of an accident. Remember – there are time limits when it comes to making a personal injury compensation claim, so don’t risk waiting too long to seek legal advice.
6. Collect Evidence
If you have any evidence relating to the incident, be sure to keep it in a safe place and inform your attorney. This might include photographs of your injuries or the damage to your vehicle, or even dashcam footage of the incident itself. Although additional evidence can be gathered in the days and weeks following, it’s important to retain as much evidence as possible.
Recovering From A Traffic Accident
Although it can take longer to recover from some injuries than others, it’s important to give yourself time to recover fully after a traffic accident. Whether you’ve suffered broken bones, head injuries or cuts and lacerations, giving yourself time to rest and recuperate can help you to recover from the ordeal.
