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When you are injured in a car accident in Florida, there are a number of things you should do for both your wellbeing and to start gathering evidence if you need to file a personal injury lawsuit. Whether you were injured or not in an accident, there are still some steps you should take after any car crash in Florida.

Read more from Ft. Lauderdale personal injury lawyer Jared K. Newman from Newman Injury Law about the appropriate steps to take after a car crash to ensure the best scenario for compensation and damage recovery in Florida.

What Should You Do After a Car Accident in Florida?

The state of your health, your passengers’ health, and the health of any other people involved should be your first concern. If you are too injured to move, try to have someone else contact 911 to request the police and medical help. If necessary, immediately seek medical attention for yourself. However, if you can leave your vehicle and wait for medical treatment, you should consider taking the following actions.

Gather Information from Other Drivers Involved

You should collect the names and contact information of all the people involved in the accident. If they do not speak English, then you should try to take a photograph of their driver’s license and insurance information. Do not do this unless they somehow give you permission. You might have to wait until the police collect their personal information. You can take photographs of their car, the make, the model, and the license plate number. If there were any witnesses present, you should also collect their names, phone numbers, and email addresses. Eyewitnesses often provide crucial testimony to establish how the accident occurred. Building a successful Florida personal injury claim with the help of our Hallandale Beach car accident lawyer requires all types of evidence.

Take Photographs of the Accident Scene

As stated above, a successful personal injury lawsuit in Florida requires evidence to prove which driver was at fault. As the old adage goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. If you have access to a cellphone with a camera, you should take dozens of pictures of the accident scene. Photos could provide visual evidence and help witnesses remember parts of the accident scene if they are questioned at trial months or years later.

Take photographs of every car involved in the crash. Be sure to get multiple angles and each car’s relative position to one another. This could be helpful in recreating the accident. Do not forget the details, such as the license plates and vehicle identification numbers.

The cars are only part of the scene. You will want to photograph the roadway, including any debris or skid marks. Also include pictures of any traffic signs or lights, especially if they were obscured. Often, the evidence presents additional parties that could be sued in addition to the at-fault driver. If there are any surrounding buildings or businesses, you should take photos of those as well. Many times, there will be surveillance camera footage available that will help in determining what exactly happened.

Take Photographs of Your Injuries

While pictures of the scene of the accident are important, photographs of your injuries could also provide powerful evidence. Take several angles of your injuries, and document them every few days. It is not uncommon for bruises to increase in size or change in color. If you require surgery after the accident, photographs of the aftermath present compelling evidence for a jury in a lawsuit represented by our Hollywood, FL car accident lawyers.

Request the Police Report

After any car crash, you should request the police report from the accident. This is especially the case if you were unable to communicate with the other driver because of a language barrier. If you were not able to gather the other driver’s information, it should be available in the police report. In addition, the report will include other details regarding the accident, including who the police believe caused the crash. While this is not conclusive proof of fault, it could lend weight to your case in a personal injury lawsuit.

Retain an Experienced Florida Car Accident Attorney

It is crucial to retain our Florida car accident attorney as soon as possible. You do not want to speak with any insurance companies before consulting with our skilled Miami car accident lawyer. An insurance provider will be looking to either deny your claim or offer you a lower settlement amount than you deserve. It is not uncommon for a driver to say something to an insurance adjuster or sign a document that later hurts their ability to seek compensation through a civil lawsuit. By speaking with our office, we can handle any negotiations.

Additionally, our office will be able to begin preparing your lawsuit while all the evidence is fresh and available. If you wait too long, it might become difficult to track down witnesses, and vital surveillance video could have been erased. The sooner you contact our Miami car accident lawyer, the more likely your case is to be successful.

Call Our South Florida Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation

The scene of a car accident can be chaotic. People are injured or in shock, and damaged cars and debris cover the roadway. What you do after an accident could affect your ability to file a personal injury lawsuit if you were hurt. When you are unable to gather specific information because the other driver involved did not speak English, you have options. By taking the advice offered above, you will increase the chances of prevailing in a personal injury claim. If you were hurt, be sure to contact Jared K. Newman, an Aventura car accident attorney who has successfully represented hundreds of injured people. To schedule a free appointment, call 954-495-8500.