First Steps After a Car Accident
If you are injured in a car accident in Las Vegas, your path to receiving compensation begins immediately after the crash. Here is some important information on the first steps after a car accident that you should take, and what mistakes to avoid. Contact our experienced Las Vegas car accident lawyers to schedule a free consultation.
First Steps After a Car Accident | Receive Medical Treatment
Though your first thoughts after a collision in Nevada may be to call a skilled Las Vegas car accident lawyer, that priority should wait until you have moved yourself to a safe distance and contacted emergency personnel. While you should not leave the scene of the accident until a police officer has told you to do so, you must move yourself at least a few feet away from the car or cars involved in the accident. If there are other people who have been injured, you can help to move them as long as they do not have serious injuries. Inspect the area for traffic and dangers such as gas leaks or small fires, as these may lead to further disaster.
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First Steps After a Car Accident | Call 911
As soon as you are at a safe distance from the car accident, call 911. If you are badly injured or cannot access your phone, ask someone nearby to make the call instead. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department covers both Las Vegas itself and the whole of Clark County, so you should not have to worry that your call will be redirected among several local police departments. Be sure to ask for an ambulance, and again, do not try to move anyone else affected by the accident if he or she appears to be badly injured. Trying to move another person or yourself after a major injury can potentially worsen the problem, so it is best to leave these matters to emergency medical technicians.
First Steps After a Car Accident | Gather Evidence
While you are waiting for the police and the ambulance to arrive, you should start to take notes about the car accident. If your phone allows you to do so, take photos of every vehicle involved in the accident, paying careful attention to the damage to each car, the positions of the cars relative to each other, and the overall scene of the accident. Write down the names and contact information of any witnesses, and be ready to provide your own name, license plate number, and insurance information when prompted. Every account from an eyewitness can strengthen your case, so collect as much information as possible for your car accident lawyer to use later on.
If you are injured in a car accident in Las Vegas, Clark County, or elsewhere in Nevada, you will need the guidance of a personal injury lawyer with experience in Nevada state law at every step of your case. Contact dedicated Las Vegas car accident lawyer Craig Murphy today for help as you start the process of receiving the compensation that you deserve after your accident.