What to Do If I Have Been Rear Ended?
Rear end collisions are alarmingly common in New York. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that in 2019, rear end collisions accounted for 7% of all fatal accidents and 31% of all non-fatal accidents in New York.
The time following an accident can be confusing and overwhelming, here’s a look at what you should do if you have been rear-ended…
1. Report the Accident
The first thing you should after a rear end collision – or any kind of automobile accident for that matter – is to call the police and file a report. Make sure you do not add, omit, or embellish any details. Just provide a factual statement to the police and make sure you get a copy of the report.
2. Document the Accident Scene
Right after you make the call to the police, take pictures of the accident scene as well as the landmarks in the surrounding area. First and foremost, you should take pictures of the at-fault driver’s vehicle and license plate, so that you can track them down if they flee the scene. Apart from this, you should take pictures of your injuries, the damage to your vehicle, the damage to the other vehicle, and stop signs or traffic signals in the area.
3. Get the At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Information
Get the at-fault driver’s name, phone number, driver’s license number, license plate number, and insurance information.
4. Talk to Witnesses
If you can, look around for people who might have witnessed the accident and get their names and phone numbers. Statements or testimonies from eye witnesses can strengthen your case against the at-fault party to a great extent.
5. Get Medical Help
Get medical help – even if you do not have any visible injuries or do not feel any pain. In some cases, the symptoms might appear days or even weeks later. Whiplash is one such injury that can sometimes weeks for a crash victim to start really feeling. If you wait that long to seek medical help, the at-fault party can easily argue that your injuries are not at all serious in nature – since you did not seek treatment right away. Correlating with this, obtaining medical attention should be your top priority after the accident.
6. Contact an Experienced New York Rear End Accident Lawyer
If you want to recover damages for your injuries, you need a skilled attorney on your side. In the absence of proper legal representation, you might not be able to recover damages at all or might only be able to recover a fraction of what you are entitled to. Based on this, make sure you hire an experienced personal injury attorney – preferably someone who has handled rear end collision claims before.
Injured in a Rear End Collision? Legal Help Is Available from Top-Rated Personal Injury Attorneys in New York
At the Law Offices of Michael S. Lamonsoff, we have more than 100 years of combined experience in handling personal injury cases. We can hold the at-fault driver accountable for their negligence, gather the evidence needed to strengthen your claim against them, maximize the value of your claim, and fight tirelessly to recover the maximum amount of damages possible through negotiation or litigation.
We work on a contingency basis, which means we get paid only if you get paid. To find out how we can help you with your claim, call us today at 212-962-1020 or get in touch with us online and schedule a free consultation with one of our top-rated car accident lawyers in New York City.