In a vehicular accident, no one walks away unscratched, even those at fault. Damage to the vehicle is assessed as well as injuries sustained by the occupants. Occupants of a car in a minor motor vehicle accident can also sustain injuries.
There are instances that the symptoms do not show until the occupants have gone home. The occupants should do the following steps to ensure that they can file for losses from the MVA.
Call the police to file a report
Whether minor or major motor vehicle accidents, the police should be called to file a report. This will help not only in establishing the damages to your vehicle but the mechanism of the crash from which your injuries will be justified. This report will also be needed when you are filing for accident claims.
Call your lawyer
It is also essential that you call and inform your car accident attorney here in Salt Lake City about the car accident as soon as you can. Make sure that you also provide them with the details of the other vehicle, including make and model of their car and the name of the driver.
This information is vital in filing for claims for medical expenses, missed work hours, wage loss and to cover the cost of repairing damages to your vehicle.
Go to the ER even if you think you are alright
Visiting the ER right after the accident will ensure that you get checked for possible injuries. Diagnostic tests such as CT scans and x-rays may be obtained to investigate internal injuries. Most of the time and especially if you have no complaints, you will be discharged.
Should you feel symptoms like muscle stiffness, neck pain, headache and lower back pain, you should go to the ER to have a recheck.
Follow prescribed treatments by your physician
If you sustained injuries, it is expected that treatments and therapies will be prescribed. It is recommended that you comply with the prescribed treatments, not only to attain full recovery but to make sure that proper reimbursements for expenses will be made.
Try not to miss any doctor’s appointments to ensure your full recovery and reimbursement of your medical expenses’ claims.
Visit your company’s clinic if the accident is work-related
If you are driving a company vehicle, it is also crucial that you stop by a worker’s compensation clinic. This is to make sure that they are aware that you had an accident and you also get checked for injuries. This visit should be made if not within the day of the accident, at least the next day.
Most of the time, the treatments prescribed by the worker’s compensation clinic is the same as that of the hospital. You should visit both.
Keep track of your missed days at work or wage loss
While you can readily ask for a copy of your timesheet that reflects your missed hours and days at work, it will help if you take note of the days. It would facilitate ease in processing needed documents and check if the report from your employer is the same with your notes.
Most of the time, your car accident attorney will offer a settlement with the other party and most of the time, a settlement will be reached to avoid litigation. The above-mentioned points are vital actions to take to ensure that you get reimbursed for your expenses promptly.