News & opinion What to Do After an Accident Injury

What to Do After an Accident Injury

What to Do After an Accident Injury
h

t should you do

fte

you’ve suffe

ed

n inju

y in

n

ccident? In the immedi

te

fte

m

th, it’s n

tu

l to feel unce

t

in

nd ovehelmed, unsu

e of

he

e to tu

n. You’

e

nxious, diso

iented,

nd in p

in,

nd the l

st thing on you

mind is guing

ith

n insunce comp

ny ove

money. Neve

fe

: to help you du

ing this time,

e’ve p

ovided the

ns

e

s to some f

equently

sked questions (F

Qs)

bout the

fte

m

th of

n

ccident inju

y (

hethe

it’s c

used by

vehicle,

<

h

ef="https:

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nd f

ll > on someone else’s p

ope

ty,

<

h

ef=”https://c

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yvictims.com

most-common-const

uction-site-

ccidents-in-houston/”>const

uction

ccident >, onothe

type of

ccident).

If You’

e Inju

ed in

Vehicle

ccident…<

h2>
The fi

st step you need to t

ke if you’

e inju

ed in

vehicle

ccident is to p

io

itize you

s

fety. If the fo

ce of

n

ccident knocked you o

you

vehicle into the middle of the

o

d, move to

s

fe

nd secu

e ey f

om t

ffic

nd clely out of hm’s y.

e s

y “clely out of hm’s y” bec

use t

ffic is not the only potenti

l hm. If you’ve collided

ith

comme

ci

l t

uck, fo

ex

mple, deb

is

nd even fl

mm

ble m

te

i

l c

n c

e

te d

nge

ous conditions like explosions. If you see o

suspect such d

nge

, move

s f

y f

om it

s possible - but don’t completely le

ve the scene.

The second step is to di

l 911 if you physic

lly c

n.

ny

ccidents th

t c

use inju

y, de

th, o

p

ope

ty d

m

ge th

t p

events

victim f

om d

iving

vehicle<

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get=”_bl

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el=”noopene

nofollo

no

efee

“>

equi

e

epo

ting > to the police o

the she

iff’s deptment. If you c

nnot cont

ct l enfo

cement you

self,

sk

p

sse

by to c

ll 911.

Let eme

gency

esponde

s ex

mine you

hen they

ive. If they dete

mine th

t you need eme

gency

oom t

e

tment, let them t

e

t you

nd t

ke you to the eme

gency

oom.

F

om th

t point on, keep t

o things

t the fo

ef

ont of you

mind. Fi

st: ensu

ing you

s

fety

nd he

lth. Second: g

the

ing evidence th

t est

blishes the c

uses of the

ccident. L enfo

cement

ill t

lk to

ll the d

ive

s involved

nd to

ny eye

itnesses. The office

s

ill file

csh

epo

t,

hich usu

lly includes info

m

tion on possible c

uses of the

ccident, the ci

cumst

nces (pl

ce, time of d

y,

e

the

, etc),

nd

ny othe

elev

nt m

te

i

l. You m

y eithe

obt

in

copy of the c

sh

epo

t

t the scene of the

ccident o

s soon

s possible

fte

the

ccident by m

il, online, o

in pe

son

t the police dep

tment.

If you notice

ny ci

cumst

nces suounding the

ccident th

t l enfo

cement should kno

nd include in the

ccident

epo

t, spe

k up. Fo

ex

mple, let’s s

y you noticed

nothe

d

ive

seemed intoxic

ted o

unste

dy. If d

iving unde

the influence of

lcohol o

othe

subst

nces seems likely, l

enfo

cement

ill

dministe

the

pp

op

i

te tests.

Exch

nge cont

ct info

m

tion

ith

ll othe

d

ive

s, including insunce info

m

tion

nd em

il

dd

esses. Conside

using you

phone to t

ke photos of thei

license pl

tes, license,

nd p

oof of insu

nce.

If you live in

no-f

ult st

te, you need to fi

st t

p you

PIP benefits befo

e you c

n file

cl

im

ith

n

t-f

ult p

ty’s insu

nce comp

ny. If you live in

f

ult st

te fo

vehicle

ccidents

nd

nothe

d

ive

(onothe

p

ty, such

s

t

ucking comp

ny) is

t f

ult, you c

n file

n insu

nce cl

im o

b

ing

c

ccident suit fo

the d

m

ge done to you. This

ill include compens

tion fo

medic

l bills,

ny ges you lose f

om

o

k if you need time off,

nd p

in

nd suffe

ing

el

ted to you

inju

ies. You need to kno

the othe

p

ties’ insu

nce info

m

tion in c

se you decide to file

cl

im.

fte

th

t, you need to p

udently g

the

evidence. Sevel

venues exist fo

this. If eye

itnesses

e

ound, t

lk to them

nd get thei

cont

ct info

m

tion (phone numbe

s

nd/o

em

il)

s

ell.

If you h

ve

c

me o

sm

tphone

ith you, t

ke multiple pictu

es of the scene, including:
  • ny

    e

    s th

    t sho

    imp

    ct (d

    m

    ged st

    eet signs, b

    ie

    s,

    o

    d

    butments, ti

    e mks on the

    o

    d,

    nd mo

    e)<

    li>

  • ll d

    m

    ge to

    ll vehicles

  • ny othe

    conditions

    elev

    nt to the

    ccident (detou

    signs, b

    oken tffic lights,

    nd so fo

    th)<

    li>

Don’t le

ve until l enfo

cement cle

ly indic

tes th

t you’

e pe

mitted to le

ve. (Le

ving the scene is

g

inst the l

unless you

equi

e eme

gency medic

l t

e

tment.)

Next, get

pp

op

i

te <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.comho-should-t

e

t-my-inju

ies-

fte

n-

uto-

ccident

“>medic

l t

e

tment<>

s quickly

s possible. Neve

t

y to dete

mine you

o

n medic

l condition

fte

vehicle

ccident. You need

p

ofession

l opinion. M

ny se

ious inju

ies don’t m

nifest physic

lly immedi

tely

ften

ccident, but

physici

n c

n ex

mine

nd di

gnose you

pp

op

i

tely.

If you

physici

n indic

tes th

t you’

e not se

iously inju

ed, you’

e home f

ee! Ho

eve

, if you

physici

n di

gnoses

n inju

y

nd

dvises t

e

tment, follo

theiecommend

tions. It’s c

uci

l th

t you keep

ll

eco

ds of you

t

e

tment,

s they

ill help p

ove you

inju

ies

nd expenses. Include

eco

ds of

ll medic

l

nd medic

l-

el

ted

ppointments

nd t

e

tments, such

s p

esc

iption medic

tion,

n

ssistive device like c

utches o

c

ne,

nd so on.

The p

imy

e

son fo

this is to get you b

ck to optim

l he

lth

s quickly

s possible.

n impo

t

nt second

e

son,

hich inju

ed people m

y not

e

lize immedi

tely, is th

t the insunce comp

nies of the

t-f

ult p

ties c

n use g

ps in t

e

tment o

omissions in eithe

of these steps

s e

son to minimize o

even deny you

cl

im. Ho

?

ell, the comp

nies m

y gue th

t you

f

ilu

e to p

omptly see

physici

n o

go to the eme

gency

oom is evidence th

t you

e

en’t se

iously inju

ed, o

t le

st not

s extensively

s you cl

im.

ftell,

se

iously inju

ed pe

son

ould h

ve to go,

ight? If you l

te

develop se

ious issues—

hich is definitely possible—insu

e

s c

n t

y to

gue th

t they h

ppened sep

tely f

om the

ccident, me

ning they don’t be

esponsibility. Similly, insu

e

s c

n t

y to

ield

f

ilu

e to follo

you

docto

’s t

e

tment

ecommend

tions

g

inst you. You

e

en’t inju

ed

s se

iously

s you cl

im, they m

y s

y, o

you

condition developed l

te

. Keep

ll m

te

i

l

el

ted to the

ccident.

Fin

lly, if the

ccident is the f

ult of

nothe

pty (fo

ex

mple, the othe

d

ive

,

m

nuf

ctu

e

, o

ep

i

shop), consult

n expe

ienced c

ccident

tto

ney

ho c

n negoti

te

ith the insu

e

fo

just compens

tion o

help you file

pe

son

l inju

y l

suit.

If You’

e Inju

ed on Someone Else’s P

emises…<

h2>
If you’

e <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

p

emises-li

bility-l

ye

s

“>inju

ed on

nothe

pe

son’s p

ope

ty >,

h

t should you do? Inte

estingly enough, the b

o

d outline of

h

t you should do is the s

me

s fo

vehicle

ccidents: Fi

st, ensu

e you

s

fety

nd he

lth,

nd then obt

in evidence of

h

t h

ppened.

In Public P

emises Such

s

Sto

e, M

ll,

musement Pk...<

h3>
The l

holds th

t p

ope

ty o

ne

s of p

emises open fo

business to the public must keep thei

p

ope

ties s

fe. If

liquid is spilled in

sto

e, fo

inst

nce, the sto

e’s o

ne

o

m

n

ge

must cle

n it up

s soon

s possible

nd clely

n p

t

ons of the h

zd

ith signs, cones, t

pe, etc. The s

me is t

ue of l

ndlo

ds you

ent

n

p

tment f

om. If

light bulb ove

the st

i

s bu

ns out, th

t’s potenti

lly d

nge

ous,

s you could slip

nd f

ll in the dk. The l

ndlo

d o

designee, such

s

p

ope

ty m

n

ge

, is

esponsible fo

p

omptly

ep

i

ing

nything uns

fe, ot le

st

pp

op

i

tely notifying

esidents to

void the

e

. The l conside

s you

n invitee in both c

ses.

business o

ente

p

ise h

s opened its doo

s fo

business,

nd the o

ne

h

s

duty of c

e to keep the business s

fe foll guests. If you e inju

ed on public p

emises, seek medic

l

ttention immedi

tely if it’s

n eme

gency. If it’s not

n eme

gency, t

ke pictu

es of the

e

in

hich you suffe

ed

n inju

y

ight

y

ith

smtphone o

c

me. It’s

lso

ve

y good ide

to t

ke pictu

es of you

inju

ies. If

nyone s

you

ccident, get thei

cont

ct info

m

tion.

In public p

emises,

le

t the m

n

ge

immedi

tely

nd let them kno

you’ve suffe

ed inju

ies. Fi

st, it

llo

s m

n

gement to

ectify the situ

tion

nd

n othe

s so mo

e people

en’t inju

ed. Second, it lets them kno

they need to c

e

te

n incident

epo

t.

emembe

, you’ll need evidence to p

event insu

nce comp

nies f

om denying you

cl

im,

nd

n incident

epo

t c

n be

g

me-ch

nge

. If insunce comp

nies kno

you didn’t notify

sto

e ottction’s m

n

ge

befo

e le

ving, they’ll t

y to question

hethe

you

inju

y

ctu

lly stemmed f

om

n

ccident on the p

emises. If the comp

nies kno

th

t you neve

notified

l

ndlo

d

bout

n uns

fe condition on inju

y, the s

me

e

soning

pplies. Insu

nce comp

nies

ill t

y to hold these

ctions

g

inst you to

void p

ying you.

On P

iv

te P

ope

ty

If you visit someone’s home o

othe

p

ope

ty soci

lly, o

if the o

ne

invites you to do

o

k of some so

t on the p

ope

ty, the l te

ms you

“licensee.” The p

ope

ty o

ne

o

es you no specific gu

ntee of s

fety on the p

ope

ty, unlike businesses open to the public. Ho

eve

, the o

ne

must eithe

m

ke conditions s

fe on you if conditions exist th

t pose

d

nge

(uneven floo

ing, exposed

i

es, holes in the g

ound, etc.)

h

t should you do if you e inju

ed? He

e, too, you

fi

st p

io

ity should be you

he

lth

nd s

fety. If you need eme

gency medic

l

ttention, c

ll 911. Beyond th

t, notify the p

ope

ty o

ne

, t

ke pictu

es of the

e

th

t inju

ed you,

nd t

ke pictu

es of you

inju

y

s

ell.

If the o

ne

h

s not invited you on the p

ope

ty (eithe

explicitly o

implicitly), you’

e

t

esp

sse

by l

. Yes, this is t

ue even if you’

e doing something inoffensive, such

s t

king

sho

tcut ove

co

ne

of

neighbo

’s l

n. P

ope

ty o

ne

s

e gene

lly not

equi

ed by l

to

n t

esp

sse

s of d

nge

ous conditions,

nd in this c

se, you m

y possess no

ecou

se if you’

e inju

ed.

tt

ctive Nuis

nces<

h3>
Tex

s l does h

s

n exception to the t

esp

ssing c

tego

y, ho

eve

. Fe

tu

es th

t m

y tempt child

en to t

esp

ss on p

iv

te p

ope

ty

e te

med “

tt

ctive nuis

nces.” Ex

mples include s

imming pools, decks

ith fi

e pits, c

oquet pitches,

nd so on—

nything th

t m

y pose

d

nge

to young child

en.

The l

equi

es p

ope

ty o

ne

s to m

ke

tt

ctive nuis

nces s

fe f

om child

en, by inst

lling b

ie

s, such

s

g

te, fence, o

simil b

ie

. If you

child is inju

ed by

n

ttctive nuis

nce, t

ke them to

n eme

gency

oom o

docto

immedi

tely. T

ke pictu

es of

ll inju

ies. If the inju

y isn’t seve

e, t

ke time to t

ke photogph the

tt

ctive nuis

nce, including

ny open b

ie

s (o

pictu

es th

t m

ke the

bsence of b

ie

s cle). Cont

ct

lye

in c

ses like this, bec

use c

ses involving the

tt

ctive nuis

nce l e complic

ted.

Dog Bites

h

t if the inju

y-c

using

ccident is

dog bite, on

neighbo

’s p

ope

ty o

in public? Unde

Tex

s l, if the dog’s o

ne

kne

of

tendency to bite o

exhibit violence to

d othe

people, the o

neill likely be

esponsibility fo

the inju

y.

The fi

st step if you o loved one suffe

s

dog bite is to get to

s

fe pl

ce. Don’t st

y in

pl

ce

he

e the dog c

n

tt

ck

g

in.

Then,

dministe

fi

st

id. Cle

n the

ound

nd put b

cte

i

l ointment

ound it to

void the

isk of infection. Visit

docto

o

eme

gency

oom if the inju

ies

nt such

visit.

<

h

ef=”https://

.

d.com/

ticle/dog-bites/” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

nofollo

no

efee

“>Cont

ct the o

ne

<> of the dog to find out if it is v

ccin

ted.

sk if the dog h

s

ny medic

l issues. Consult

physici

n immedi

tely to discuss you

findings if the dog isn’t up-to-d

te on shots o

h

s othe

medic

l issues.

lys cont

ct

n

tto

ney fo

help

ith

dog bite c

se.

If You’

e Inju

ed on

Const

uction Job Site…<

h2>
Const

uction sites e full of d

nge

s

nd h

zds.

o

ke

s m

y f

ll f

om

site, suffe

elect

ocution, be st

uck by f

lling objections, o

ind up c

ught bet

een t

o pl

ces

nd pl

ced in

d

nge

ous vise. These fou

types of

ccidents e kno

n

s the<

h

ef="https:

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.osh

.gov/d

t

/commonst

ts" tget="_bl

nk”

el="noopene

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no

efe

e

"> F

t

l Fou

>. In m

ny st

tes, comp

nies

e oblig

ted to c

y

o

ke

’s compens

tion cove

ge. In Tex

s, ho

eve

, the l le

ves the decision

bout

hethe

o

not to c

y

o

ke

’s compens

tion up to e

ch comp

ny.

o

ke

’s compens

tion is

n insu

nce system th

t p

ys fo

medic

l c

e

nd

ce

t

in pe

cent

ge of

ges if

o

ke

s suffe

on-the-job inju

ies.

o

ke

’s compens

tion

lso offe

s dis

bility benefits if the inju

y

ende

s the

o

ke

un

ble to pe

fo

m his o

he

job functions

ny longe

. If you e inju

ed, seek medic

l

ttention immedi

tely. Ho

eve

, it is

lso c

uci

lly impo

t

nt to cont

ct o

ke

’s compens

tion

tto

ney.

o

ke

s’ compens

tion

ules

nd

egul

tions

e ext

emely complic

ted,

ith multiple

equi

ements

bout<

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ef=”https://

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c

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el="noopene

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">

hen

nd ho

to

epo

t the

ccident<>,

s

ell

s follo

-up

equi

ements. F

ilu

e to folloll of the

equi

ements c

n

esult in the deni

l of you

cl

im.

n

tto

ney c

n

dvise you on

equi

ements

nd

ppe

l

denied cl

im.

Mo

eove

, const

uction sites usu

lly involve c

e

s f

om multiple contcto

s, like elect

ici

ns, l

bo

e

s, te

mste

s,

elde

s, m

sons, c

pente

s,

nd mo

e.

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

“>pe

son

l inju

y lye

> c

n

lso see if

ny of these thi

d pties—comp

nies othe

th

n you

employe

—cont

ibuted to you

inju

y. If so, you

l

ye

m

y file

cl

im

g

inst them,

hich could

esult in you

ecove

ing mo

e d

m

ges th

n the

o

ke

s’ comp system

ould

llo

.

In

ll these types of inju

y-c

using

ccidents, keep det

iled

eco

ds of medic

l visits, di

gnoses, t

e

tment

ecommend

tions,

nd ho

you follo

ed the

ecommend

tions.

If you

equi

e mo

e info

m

tion, <

h

ef="https:

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yvictims.com

cont

ct-us

“>cont

ct<>

pe

son

l inju

y lye

today.

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