If you have ever been hurt in car accident, the things you need to think and act on can be dautning. That is why Allan Steinhorn of Laurel, Maryland's Clark and Steinhorn, LLC appeared on Howard County Community College's Everyday Law.
Allan and host, Bob Clark covered a host of issues that should concern anyone injured in a crash, from the moments immediately affter the collision through settlement or trial of the underlying case.
Obviously the considerations at the scene are initially ones regarding your safety and that of your passengers which then give way to such considerations as who was at fault, why and what evidence exists to show this later. Often this contemplates calling the police particularly where injuries are suspected.
An at-fault driver taking responsibility for their negligence in causing a crash in discussion with a police officer, who then embodies this in a police report is the gold standard. Having the police officer issue a citation to the at-fault driver is also helpful but oddly not necessarily dispositive.
Many times witnesses stop at the scene of a crash and helpfully suggest that they saw the mistake of the at-fault driver and then leave the scene before the police come and are lost forever. Get their names and a means to contact them. Pictures of the location of the crash and the post-impact positioning of the vehicles can also be invaluable even where the at-fault operator takes " responsibility" for the accident.
Bear in mind people who cause crashes are often quite penitent at the crash scene but later think about how their insurance rates might rise and suddenly lose interest in taking " responsibility" for a crash.
The issues of how to pay for vehicle repairs, rentals, medical bills and lost income also are of virtually immediate concern but can be compex and confusing. Get an experienced lawyer early in the process and things will go more smoothly, rapidly and you will inevitably see a larger return from your settlement.
