Anaheim has a high population and as a result, the chances of getting into a car accident and being injured are high. Anaheim actually has over 300 thousand people living there according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Out of all the cities in Orange County, CA, Anaheim is the most populated. In 2017, there were 21,969 automobile accidents in Orange County that caused a wide variety of injuries, most of which occurred in Anaheim.
So, if you live in Anaheim and have been in a vehicular accident, the chances are high that you are actually entitled to receiving compensation for those injuries. All you need to do is call an Anaheim car accident attorney at the Crockett Law Group and they will help you to get the highest compensation possible. Be sure to get your free consultation with a personal injury attorney in Anaheim by calling (800) 900-9393.
What to Do After Getting Into a Car Accident in Anaheim?
If you’re like most people, you try your best not to get into a car accident, however, you will likely get into one at some point in time. As a result, you should be fully prepared in the event that this happens. We have created a checklist on what you should do, so be sure to fully read it, print it out, and have it in your vehicle for easy access. So, if you happen to get into an accident, you will know exactly what you need to do.
Do Not Leave the Accident Scene
Stay where you are at the scene of the accident. Do not leave the scene until you have the contact information and other details from the other person or persons in the accident as well as provide your details. If you don’t do this, then you will actually violate the California Vehicle Code Section 20002 which is a misdemeanor. Also, if you happen to injure another person due to the vehicular accident and you leave, then you would be in violation of California Vehicle Code Section 20001 which is a hit and run felony.
Check Those Involved for Injuries
Next, you should check to see if you have been injured and if you have any other passengers, you should also check to see if they are injured. In the event that anyone has an injury, then avoid moving since this can worsen the injury. You should remain in the vehicle and call 911 services. Be sure to let the 911 operator know the situation and that you or other persons were injured due to a car accident. Then, simply wait until medical help arrives.
Make Sure You Are Safe
You should move to a safe area. If your vehicle can still drive, then you should move to the side of the roadway to avoid any more accidents. However, if you are injured or the car can’t move, then be sure to put on the emergency lights which will help other drivers be wary.
Call the Authorities
The next step is to call the police. Once you have been in an accident, you should call the police even if the accident is minor. Once the police are on the scene, they can help with the exchange of information and write up a traffic collision report which is important for the insurance. With that said, there are many cities where the police would not visit the accident scene if there aren’t any injuries.
Keep Conversation to a Minimum
Don’t talk too much about the accident with the other person/persons involved in the accident. Now, this may be difficult since an accident will cause a great deal of adrenaline to pump throughout your body and you’ll feel quite anxious and scared. However, you should really try to reduce any conversation with the other involved parties other than providing contact and identification information.
One example of a bad idea is to say that you’re sorry. You may say that because you’re upset about the accident and not because you were the reason why the accident happened. However, you saying sorry will likely be used against you as an admission that you were the cause of the accident, even though that was not the case.
Get Contact Information
Give and receive the contact details and personal details of all the involved parties. You should also include any other information that can identify the driver/drivers as well as their vehicles. Some of the information about the other driver or parties you should take note of will include their full name, phone number, address, driver’s license number, date of birth, etc. You should also record information about the vehicles involved such as the type of vehicle, model, year of manufacture, license plate number, VIN number, vehicle color, etc. The insurance information of all parties should also be recorded such as the full name of the insurance company as well as their particular policy number.
Document the Scene of the Accident
Next, once you are able to, take photos of the accident. You should take photos of every single car that was involved in the accident since this will provide the needed evidence for property damage. These photos will clearly show how an injury occurred. A good example of this is if your vehicle doesn’t have much damage to the back end, however, the other vehicle has a lot of damage to the engine, then the insurance company won’t be able to say that it’s not possible for you to have been injured. You should also take lots of photos of the positions of all of the vehicles in the accident. This will help show exactly how the accident happened.
Get Medical Treatment
Get the necessary medical attention, even if you feel relatively fine. You should see a doctor as soon as you can because an accident will cause your adrenaline to pump which will hide how much pain you’re actually experiencing. In the event that you are hurt and are feeling pain, you should definitely see a doctor and don’t avoid doing so while thinking that the pain will go away. You should also get documentation of your medical visits and results so that you have the required evidence for your personal injury claim.
Report the Accident to Your Insurance
Call your insurance company to let them know about the accident. Almost all insurance policies state that you need to call them and let them know about the accident asap. If you don’t do so, then you may possibly not be given insurance coverage. When you talk to your insurance company, don’t discuss whose fault the accident was or your personal injuries until you’ve spoken to a qualified car accident attorney.
Contact an Attorney
Review your claim with an attorney. After all, you likely don’t know all of the legalities of a car accident and by getting a lawyer, you will get the very best advice on how to proceed. Having a car accident lawyer will definitely help you to get a much higher settlement than if you tried to do so on your own.
Should I Dispute Fault After a Car Accident?
You are fully within your rights to dispute the car accident fault with your insurance company as well as with the police officer who did the traffic collision report. If you don’t agree with what is written in the report or if there is a mistake, then you can actually file a supplemental report. You should do this as soon as you can. There is the possibility that the police officer did not understand what you said or what a witness said and this made the report incorrect. However, if the mistake was minor such as the wrong vehicular color, then this may not be a big deal.
So, it is important that you write your own report on what actually occurred. Once you have done so, go to the police station where the original report came from and simply give them your report and request that they attach it to the existing report. This is what is called a supplemental report. Now, this won’t likely change the conclusion of the officer’s initial report, however, it would state your personal report on what happened.
It is best to avoid stressing too much since the traffic collision report is not evidence. Even though it does affect the decisions of an insurance adjuster, these decisions can also be disputed. So, it truly is in your best interest that you hire a car accident attorney in Anaheim, CA, that will help you through this confusing process. This is important because most insurance adjusters won’t change their particular decisions very easily.
Great Lawyer
"I contacted Kevin Crockett after being a victim in a car accident. Kevin and his team handled everything for me seamlessly and professionally. Kevin helped me get the maximum benefits available too me! I would definitely recommend Kevin.”
Joel
Should I Hire a Car Accident Attorney in Anaheim?
If you want to deal with insurance companies by yourself, then you are free to do so. However, this is very stressful and most clients won’t want to go through the immense stress of doing so as well as dealing with the legal complexity of claims. So, if you want the most hassle and stress-free option, hiring a car accident lawyer is highly recommended.
You should also hire a car accident attorney because there is a good chance that fault may be disputed. This can cause it to be very challenging to submit a claim for these types of cases. It definitely requires the professionalism and experience of a good lawyer who will overcome these problems on your behalf.
In the case where the fault is not the problem, it is still a great idea to hire a lawyer when dealing with insurance companies. This is because when you’re not legally represented, insurance companies know that there is not much that you can do if they don’t give you your settlement. Also, people who are represented by lawyers also get higher settlement offers from insurance companies because they want to avoid getting sued. A car accident attorney near Anaheim will give you the leverage to handle insurance companies and ensure you get exactly what you deserve.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Anaheim Car Accident Attorney
At Crockett Law Group, we have the best Anaheim car accident injury attorneys that are truly invested in representing car accident victims and ensuring they are not taken advantage of by insurance companies. We will completely handle your case from the start to the very end when you get your monetary compensation. So, be sure to give our Anaheim injury law firm a call at (800) 900-9393 if you have been injured in a car accident.
