Why should you know about auto accident law? Isn’t that what you hire a personal injury lawyer for? While getting good car accident attorneys is important, you should also be aware of what accident laws are about.
The Should And The Should-Not
Getting into a car accident is a stressful and scary experience. Even if you are lucky not to get hurt, the sheer panic of the situation can make your brain freeze and you might not know what to do. That puts you at an immediate disadvantage in an already bad situation. There are a few things everyone should keep in mind if you get into an accident, even before they call in a vehicle accident attorney.
First of all, never leave the scene of an accident. Even if you haven’t been injured, the law requires that you stay put until the police arrive. Leaving the scene of an accident has serious repercussions and you can even face criminal charges for doing so. This leaves a very bad impression that even the best auto accident attorney will have problems sorting out.
Don’t Just Stand There
An important aspect of auto accident law is that you must do your best to help the injured. This means either performing first aid yourself or getting help. If you see someone who is having a hard time to breathe, and if you know how to perform a CPR, you can help that person till the ambulance arrives. At richmond hill cpr you can learn such first aid activities which may come in handy when you are in such a situation. You should also turn on the flashers of your car so that people passing will know that there has been an accident. A good auto accident attorney will be able to use this in your favor later on.
If you haven’t been hurt, then there are a number of important things you should do. First of all, get the name, address, insurance company and license plate number of the other driver. This information is required by auto accident law. If there were any witnesses to the accident, get their name and contact information so they can be spoken to later. Make sure that the police officers presiding over the scene give you an incident number and their own business card as well.
Auto accident law also states that you have to give your version of the accident. If possible, do this as quickly as you can when the event is still fresh in your mind. Make notes as to the location, the direction you were traveling and what the other car was doing. Don’t make statements to anyone but the police and don’t admit that it was your fault- there may be a technicality that can work in your favor. This knowledge of auto accident law can really help in times of an emergency.