Hit? Know the steps to take next and seek a fair settlement

Crashes can happen for various reasons, and people in Kentucky see a lot of them. If you take I-75 or other busy highways, then you’re probably used to seeing a crash every few days.

Unfortunately, there may come a time when you are the victim of a car crash in Somerset or a nearby area. In that case, there are some things that you need to do.

You’ve been hit: Now what?

After you are involved in a car crash, the first step you need to take is to assess your situation. Are you hurt? Is your vehicle in an area that puts you at risk of being hit again? How are others involved feeling? Call 911 to have an officer sent to the scene and to have the emergency medical team start coming your way.

If you and the other driver can speak with one another about what happened, try to exchange insurance information. Remember not to apologize or to say that the crash was your fault. That’s something that the insurance agents will determine based on the police report and other evidence.

Once the emergency team and ambulance arrives, make sure you go to the hospital. You might feel fine now, but having a medical exam is a good idea. You could have injuries from the air bag, your seat belt, shattered glass or other hazards that are present at the scene, and you need to make sure that your health is taken care of. You might still feel shocked that you were involved in a crash, but remember that taking care of yourself has to come first. Leave the scene with the EMTs, and focus on getting a diagnosis.

Another good reason to go to the hospital is so that you can have a record of your injuries. This is something you’ll want to be able to give to your attorney for the purposes of your personal injury claim.

After all this is done and you’re medically stable, it’s a good time to reach out to your attorney to talk about what happened. You want to make sure that your attorney gets your side of what happened, so they can begin to help you put together a claim. They will discuss everything that led to the collision with you, talk to the authorities and discuss the crash with witnesses, so they can help you negotiate for a fair settlement.