If you were injured in a car accident in Rhode Island, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. You could receive a settlement to help pay for medical costs, the cost of damage to your car, and pain and suffering caused by the accident. You should speak with a personal injury attorney in Rhode Island about filing a claim.
Seek Medical Attention Immediately After a Rhode Island Car Crash
The first thing that you should do anytime you are in a car accident in Rhode Island or anywhere else is get medical attention. Injuries that don’t seem bad immediately after the accident can get worse over time. Some may even be permanently disabling. You must get medical help even for injuries that may not seem serious. In addition to making sure that your injuries don’t get worse getting medical help establishes the timeline of the accident and documents any injuries that you have.
The most common injuries from car accidents in Rhode Island are:
- Whiplash
- Neck strain
- Head injuries
- Back injuries
- Muscle injuries
- Broken bones
Any of those injuries can make it impossible for you to work for a long time, or possibly forever. Always get medical attention immediately after you are involved in a car accident. Keep all of the documentation you get from the hospital so that you can prove your injuries.
If you pay for any of your medical care out of pocket like the cost of a deductible or copay, the cost of medications or over the counter items needed to help with your injury, or for medical equipment like a walker or crutches keep the receipts for those items so you can get be reimbursed for those costs.
Call Your Rhode Island Auto Insurer
After you get medical attention, you should call your Rhode Island auto insurance company or agent if you have one. The insurance company will come out and check your car, take statements, and get the information they need to investigate the accident. Give them your medical documentation and any other information that you have collected at the scene of the accident.
For example, if you have witness statements or the contact information for witnesses who will testify as to what happened give that information to your insurance company. Having witnesses and other evidence of what happened will be very important in the settlement negotiation.
You also may need to get body shop estimates to repair the car so that the insurance company can decide if the cost is lower to fix the car or total it out and give you the money to get a new car instead.
Connect With an Auto Accident Lawyer Helping Those in Rhode Island
If you’ve been in an auto accident in Rhode Island fill out the Free Case Evaluation to get connected with an independent auto accident lawyer who subscribes to the website and may be able to help with your case.
