There are many different types of accidents. Some are life-changing, and some are not. One thing that all accidents have in common is that they are shocking, unexpected, and often unpredictable. Being involved in an accident can have significant effects on one’s mental and physical health. Even the smallest of accidents can produce long-lasting mental health issues and stress disorders.
Something that’s often worse than actually being involved in an accident yourself is a loved one having one. This article will tell you what to do to help your loved one if they have been injured in an accident:
Phone an Ambulance
If your loved one has been involved in an accident in your presence, then the first thing that you need to do is to call an ambulance. With this said, it is only necessary to call an ambulance if the injury was serious and they, or somebody else, is seriously hurt. It is also advisable to contact the ambulance services if you were both involved in a car accident, even if they don’t appear immediately injured. The reason for this is that a car accident can sometimes cause internal injuries that don’t manifest immediately. Make sure that they stay seated in their car, with their back completely straight.
Contact the Police
It might also be necessary to contact the police. You should do this is if the person that caused the accident did it intentionally or appears to be intoxicated. If they are intoxicated and caused your loved one’s injuries through negligence, they could be arrested. It is especially important to contact the police if the person was driving a car under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If you allow them to leave without calling the police, then they could injure somebody else.
Take Evidence
It’s very important that you acquire evidence of your loved one’s injuries so that they can make a claim for compensation later on. Without evidence of their injuries, an attorney might not take them on as a client. If you are on the scene with your loved one, then you are in a great position to acquire evidence for them. In addition to taking photos and videos of the accident, you should also take the details of the person that caused the accident. This is a legal requirement in many states and countries. You should try to take the person’s photograph or write down their license plate, in case they try to get away or provide false information.
Medical Certificate
Once your loved one has been taken away in an ambulance or has been allowed to go home, the next step is to get a medical certificate. If they have gone to ER in an ambulance, then you should meet them there and ask a doctor to provide them with a medical certificate. If they have gone home, then they should go to their physician the next day and ask for a medical certificate. This is to get evidence that they were injured so that they can make a compensation claim in the future. The statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years in most states, but there’s no guarantee that they will be able to get a medical certificate months after the accident happened. It’s always best to get one immediately after the accident.
Legal Support
The next step is to get legal support. In the words of a personal injury lawyer in Sugar Land, Houston, your loved one deserves compensation after their accident. This is to ensure that they don’t lose money because they are unable to work and so that they can pay their medical fees. If your loved one is on a budget and can’t afford legal representation, they may be able to get legal support on a no-win-no-fee basis.
Compensation Claim
Once your loved one has legal representation, they will be able to make a claim for compensation. Their lawyer will handle all of this for them, there is nothing that you need to do. The process involves your loved one’s lawyer contacting the insurance company of the person who caused the accident. The compensation claim process can take several months.
Injury Recovery
Finally, once everything else has been sorted out, your loved one needs to recover from their injuries. The length of time that their recovery takes depends largely upon the nature of their injuries. Do your best to help them, so that they recover quicker and are able to go back to their ordinary lives.
If your loved one has been injured in an accident that wasn’t their fault, then they deserve compensation. The best way to get this is to acquire evidence and then contact a lawyer, who will handle everything else. Compensation will help your loved one to continue living their life the way that they did before their accident changed everything.
