Do You Know What To Do If You’ve Been Hit By A Car?
Looking both ways before crossing a street is something most everyone is taught soon after they learn to walk. It keeps us safe from being hit by a vehicle, but what happens when it’s not enough? If you’re crossing at a blind curve in the road, if a car is speeding through a pedestrian area, or if a vehicle refuses to stop even when pedestrians are supposed to have the right of way you could find yourself being hit even if you believed you were in the clear.
Being hit by a vehicle as a pedestrian can cause serious and life threatening injuries, creating a stressful and scary experience for you and those around you.
Not knowing how to proceed after being hit by a car can make an already stressful situation even worse. You’ll want to make sure you set yourself up not just for safety, but for your best chance at appropriate compensation as well. The steps one should take after being hit by a car are:
• Get to safety – If you’re hit by a vehicle, you’re likely hit while in the road. Staying in the road can lead to further hazard and the potential for being hit again, so it’s important to get to safety as quickly as possible. If you’re unable to get yourself to safety, a bystander, friend, or companion should prioritize getting you out of the road and onto a safe area nearby. If you are seriously injured, or experience neck or back pain, you may need to stay put until emergency services arrive. In these instances, witnesses, the driver of the vehicle, and any companions you may have with you should make sure you’re noticeable to other drivers who may be coming down the road.
• Call emergency services – The driver of the vehicle, you, witnesses, or those with you should then call emergency services as quickly as possible. Injuries suffered after being hit by a car can be serious and life threatening, and even those that seem “minor” could be more serious just under the surface. In order to get compensation for your injuries, being thoroughly assessed by medical professionals is an absolute necessity no matter how minor you believe your injuries to be.
• Get the driver’s information – The driver of the vehicle responsible for hitting you should be willing to provide their information. If they’re not, you may have to rely on witnesses to provide you with any information they may have. Their license plate number, name (if possible,) and description may need to be given to police if the driver decides to leave the scene.
• Contact a personal injury lawyer – Your personal injury lawyer is on your side to make sure you get the compensation you need for your injuries. They can walk you through the process of receiving compensation, and they can negotiate with insurance companies to make sure you get what you need to cover your damages and injuries.
No person expects to get into an accident with a moving vehicle, but it unfortunately does happen in the state of Florida. If you’ve been hit by a vehicle and you’re looking for the compensation you need, you’re certainly not alone. At JusticePays.com, we have just the team you need to take care of your needs, and to ensure that your recovery is made as easy as possible. Call us today to see what we can do for you.
