Common Questions After A Car Accident In Orlando

According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were 23,265 motor vehicle accidents in Orange County in 2020. These accidents caused 171 deaths and 18,319 injuries. As if these numbers aren’t scary enough, they don’t even take into consideration unreported traffic accidents. While you do your best to avoid an Orlando car accident, sometimes that isn’t enough. You never know when a negligent driver will cause an accident that has the potential to turn your life upside down. Here are some of the most important questions to answer after a motor vehicle crash:

1. Are you injured?

This is the first question you should always ask after a car accident. There’s nothing more important than your health and well-being.

For instance, if you were involved in a rear-end accident, you may be experiencing neck and/or back pain.

Keep in mind that it’s not always easy to diagnose your injuries in the immediate aftermath of a motor vehicle accident. There are two reasons for this:

• The adrenaline rush from the accident may disguise some or all of your pain and/or discomfort.
• Not all injuries present symptoms right away. 

2. Do you need medical treatment?

This goes along with the question above. If you have any type of injury — minor or severe — it’s critical to call 911 to request an ambulance.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that you can treat the injury at home. Doing so increases the risk of a long-term impact on your health.

As noted above, it’s not always easy to pinpoint all your car accident injuries. This is why it’s best to accept transportation to a local hospital for further examination.

After your medical team has run all the necessary tests, you’ll have a clear idea of your injuries, prognosis, and available treatment. 

3. Who was at fault?

Depending on the circumstances, it may be clear as to who was at fault.

A common example is if another vehicle struck you from behind while waiting at a red light. In this case, it’s clear that the person who hit you caused the accident.

Conversely, there are times when fault is more difficult to determine, such as with a multi-vehicle pile-up on the highway. 

By contacting the police, the responding officer can examine the scene and create a report based on their findings. 

4. What type of evidence can you collect from the scene?

This is an important question to ask and answer, but keep this in mind: you may not be able to collect evidence if you were seriously injured in the accident.

If you’re able to do so, take photos of the accident scene, the damage to your vehicle, and your injuries. It’s also good practice to collect witness contact information at this time. 

When available, request a copy of the police report. This can go a long way in backing up your claim that the other party was at fault. 

5. What are your legal rights?

As time allows, turn your attention to your legal rights. More specifically, how to obtain compensation from the negligent party.

The first thing you should do is consult with an Orlando personal injury attorney. This is preferred over managing the process on your own, as it reduces the risk of a mistake that costs you time and money. 

Here are some things to think about as they pertain to your legal rights:

• Insurance coverage, both your policy and that of the other party.
• Your ability to receive a fair settlement offer from the other party’s insurance company.
• The type of compensation you can seek, such as lost wages and medical bills.
• The possibility that you may have to file a lawsuit to receive the compensation you deserve.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is assuming you can negotiate directly with insurance companies. 

While you have the power to do so, insurance companies are in the business of paying out as little money as possible for claims. They’ll have their legal team working diligently to save them money, so you need to fight back by hiring an attorney to represent you. 

Contact an Orlando car accident attorney near me

Some of these questions require your attention in the minutes immediately following an Orlando car accident. Others can be addressed after you receive medical treatment.

Regardless of when you answer these questions, do so with the idea of quickly treating your injuries and positioning yourself to take legal action. 

At Pardy & Rodriguez, P.A., Attorneys at Law, we have many years of experience providing clients with legal representation for car accident injuries. 

Contact us online or via phone at 888-522-0222 to learn more and to set up a free consultation.