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After being involved in a crash caused by someone else’s negligence, it is important to make sure that you protect your rights after a car accident. If you neglect to follow these basic steps, the liability for the accident could be unfairly pinned on you. Contact our Houston car accident attorneys today to schedule a free consultation and receive the compensation you deserve.
Protect Your Rights After a Car Accident | First Steps
Whether you are responsible for the auto accident or not, you must not leave the scene until you have spoken with law enforcement and received permission to go. Instead, your highest priority is to first get yourself (and, if possible, any other parties who have not been seriously injured) to safety. Be sure to pay attention to such hazards as leaking gas, sudden fires, and oncoming traffic as you move to a safe distance from the accident—again, without leaving the scene.
If you have not sustained serious injuries, once you are safe, you should call 911 immediately in order to report the accident to the Houston Police Department and request an ambulance. If you worry that you have been seriously injured, ask anyone nearby to call law enforcement on your behalf. Do not try to move anyone who has been seriously injured, and do not try to move yourself if you are in significant pain. If you do so, you run the risk of worsening an injury before an emergency medical technician can begin to treat it.
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Protect Your Rights After a Car Accident | Gather Evidence
You can begin to take stock of the car accident even before the police and an ambulance have arrived. You are compelled by law, of course, to exchange information with all other parties involved in the car accident, and you should be ready to provide your name, address, license plate number, and insurance information upon request. Take as many photos of the scene of the accident as you can and be sure to collect accounts from witnesses; once you reach out to a Houston car accident lawyer, you will need to use this information in any claims you make and lawsuits you file.
Protect Your Rights After a Car Accident | Contact an Attorney
It may be tempting to think that a simple fender bender can result in a “no harm, no foul” situation, but the truth is that you will need the help of a Houston car accident lawyer with experience in Texas state law to advocate on your behalf. The last thing you will want is to become caught in a long legal battle over insurance coverage or responsibility for the accident. If you have recently experienced a motor vehicle collision, contact Houston car accident lawyer Hector Longoria for help in navigating the next steps.
